The Tale of Isabella Black
by LeahHeartsSirius
Summary: I was kidnapped at four, rescued by an unlikely hero and hidden in the US. I was then adopted by the Swans, found out I was a witch, discovered my true ancestry, fell in love with a vampire and competed in the TWT. I am Isabella Black. This is my story.
1. Chapter 1

Full Summary/Author's Notes:

This is set during NM and Goblet of Fire – ish (I plan to continue through other books, this is just my starting point). Isabella was left in an orphanage due to unknown circumstances at age 4 and later adopted by Charlie and Renee Swan. The first few chapters will give you an overview of her life up until she meets Edward. I will write a few more chapters of their encounters up until the point where Edward pulls a New Moon. From that point the story will show Bella travelling to America for the Triwizard Tournament (Random comment: Word kept telling me I was spelling Triwizard wrong. I retyped it and it still told me it was spelled wrong. I looked closer and then informed Word it was spelled right. I then realized that Triwizard isn't a real word and that I should probably go to sleep. At least you know I pay attention to Spell Check people!) The Cullens will eventually show back up. I plan for the story to be an Edward/Bella pairing, but if anyone actually reads this, we might decide later to change that. Let me know what you think.

Also a general warning about the story…I really don't care about specific details being off. I will be changing things to fit in with the story I want to write. I need Edward to leave in the summer so that Bella can get her moping in before deciding to return to school for her 7th year. I made Bella a few years older than Harry so that it can be realistic that she'd have some memories and general feelings about Sirius. Bella's birth is a total "Whoops!" that happened right after they graduated from Hogwarts. Her mom died during the childbirth, so Sirius raised her by himself with a lot of help from James, Lily and Remus…and begrudgingly Peter (He had to keep up appearances). Because of this, Bella will have some memories of all of these people.

I rated this T for probable violence and unavoidable cursing (If you played Words with Friends with me you would have already understood that I just can't help myself). This is my first fic, so if anyone thinks I should change the rating or if you have any other suggestions please let me know. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Twilight.

Chapter One:

Hello. My name is Isabella, and I'm sixteen years old. Please call me Bella. As this is my tale, I think I should tell you about my life up to this point.

When I was four years old a bunch of scary men took me from my house. A lot of really frightening things happened that I really didn't understand. There were all these mean people who yelled at me and called me names. I was terrified. I told them my daddy was going to come and rescue me, but they just laughed.

I don't really remember much about my time in the unknown place, but one day a man came and took me from there. He looked like he was really scared, but told me that everything would be okay. He reminded me of my daddy, so I listened to what he said. I'd thought he was taking me home, but I was wrong. He took me to this huge building with a bunch of other kids. He used his wand to make me forget a lot of details about my life. Then he just left me there.

I still had vague memories of my life before the man cast the memory spell on me, but they were more like general truths and strong feelings. For instance, I knew my daddy would never leave me alone in such strange place with strange people. I'd never had a mum, but I had the best daddy in the whole world. I knew that he loved me more than anything, even if I couldn't remember exactly who he was.

It turns out the unknown abandoner took me to an orphanage in Port Angeles, Washington USA. The lady who ran the orphanage was named Dr. Melton; she's a psychologist. She told me to call her Doc. She was a very kind and loving woman who always looked out for the kids staying in her care. I always felt safe around her, and she helped me transition into my new living situation as best she could. She later told me that she'd decided to run an orphanage instead of starting a practice because she wanted to help people who needed it but were unable to obtain it on their own. She knew that orphans were often a forgotten group. She wanted to show us that the fact that we didn't have parents didn't mean that we weren't loved or wanted. I think she did a good job, and I will always remember her kindness.

I still had a very difficult time accepting that the orphanage was my new home. I tried to make friends with the other kids in the house, but it was hard. They were just so different from me. I had these wonderful dreams about a magical world, and I just knew that's where I belonged. I would see my daddy there. I just knew he was a wizard. He was usually very fuzzy in the dreams. Looking at him was like trying to see him through a cloud of mist; I could make out his basic form, but the details were completely lost to me. Sometimes, though, he would transform into a giant black dog. I could always see him clearly when he visited me as Padfoot. That's what I'd call him while he was a dog.

I would tell the other kids about magic and they acted like they knew what I was talking about. They knew all about wands and broomsticks, but then they started talking about taking rabbits out of hats and putting a quarter behind your ear. One boy even showed me a "trick" where he removed his right thumb by hiding it in his palm while he pretended this left thumb was the detached phalange. I started to wonder if I had been left at a place for kids that were a bit thick. The older kids just made fun of me. They told me there was no such thing as magic. Pfft.

When I was five I started kindergarten at Port Angeles Elementary School. The kids in my class didn't even know how to read. I understood the lessons much easier than my classmates, as well. This caused me to become bored constantly during lessons. My teacher was super nice, though. Her name was Mrs. Swan. She always doted on me and told me what a smart girl I was. I preened under her praise. The kids my age just thought I was weird and annoying. One girl called me a freak in recess, but I got back at her. I unscrewed the caps to all her glitter and pot of glue. It got EVERYWHERE, and all her books were covered in glue and glitter. She got in trouble for making a mess and not taking care of her things. Ha! Take that Crissy!

Mrs. Swan started asking me all kinds of questions after a few months in class. She asked me about the orphanage and if I had many friends there. I told her about Doc. She was really my only friend. One day she showed up in my room when I was reading about a girl named Dorothy who got whisked away to a land called Oz. I'd wondered if that is where my daddy was. He was a wizard, after all. I told her so when she asked about the book, but she just smiled at me adoringly. She had a man named Charlie with her. She said he was her husband. He didn't really say much, but he seemed nice enough. They wanted to take me out to dinner and to see a movie. It was AWESOME! I'd never really watched much TV as I didn't really like the shows the big kids watched on the small one in the orphanage. I can't remember what we saw, but I remember the feeling of amazement when the movie came up on that giant screen.

Over the next few weeks Charlie and Mrs. Swan would come and visit me on the weekends and take me to do fun things. I really like them both. Mrs. Swan was a lot more fun outside the classroom. She was unpredictable and full of energy. She insisted I call her Renee. Charlie was the complete opposite of Renee. He was quiet and reserved. However, when the giant rat-man at Show Biz Pizza started coming right for me, I knew that Charlie would keep him away. There was just this safe feeling I got around him. Like I could always count on him to protect me and make sure I was okay. They both always looked at me with so much love that I started to wish that I could have a family like them.

A few days after the rat monster attack Doc called me into the orphanage office. Charlie and Renee were both there, and Doc had tears in her eyes. At first I thought they were there to tell me that they wouldn't be visiting me anymore, that they were leaving me just like my dad. But then the most amazing thing happened! They told me that they wanted to take me home…that they wanted me to be their daughter. I was going to leave the orphanage! I was going to get to live with Charlie and Renee! After packing up my few belongings they took me to their house in Forks.

That was the day that I became Isabella Swan. But seriously, still call me Bella.

So yeah, there's chapter one. For all you youngsters, the rat monster is actually Chuck E. Cheese. This is a shout out to all my 80s babies! Chuck E. Cheese used to be called Show Biz Pizza. There were these huge mechanical characters who were set up like a band at the one my parents would take us to. They always scared me, and I was absolutely terrified whenever the live Chucky would come visit the kiddies. :)

We are going to pretty much skim over the next few years until she turns 11. Please tell me what you think! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Over the next couple of years I got more comfortable in my new life. We were the typical American family. Charlie would go to work and Renee and I would go to Port Angeles Elementary. We would come home and Renee would attempt to cook dinner. Then Charlie and I would pretend like we enjoyed it. She tried, bless her, but Renee simply could not cook. She would come up with the strangest concoctions; every night was like playing Dinner Time Russian Roulette. Have you ever seen the movie Elf? You know, Buddy makes everyone dinner and they all just smile while they choke down their spaghetti and syrup? Yeah, that was dinner time at the Swans.

I learned pretty quickly that every day life in a family isn't movie theaters and Show Biz Pizza. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlie and Renee, but like all families we had our ups and downs. Charlie and Renee couldn't be more different if they tried. Charlie was content with a baseball game and a weekend of fishing. He didn't require much variety and excitement to make him happy. Renee suffocated in that type of life. Sometimes I think that's why she wanted to adopt me so much. She knew from having me in her classroom that I was a little mischief maker, always finding new ways to entertain myself.

That was the difference between us, though. According to the administrators at my school, I had an advanced intellect and photographic memory. I learned things very quickly, with minimum effort. It was very difficult for Port Angeles to keep me academically challenged. Because of this, I have plenty of time during class to think of ways to entertain myself. We also lived right next to a forest. It was literally our back yard. There were endless ways to occupy myself out there.

Renee, while she is by no means unintelligent, did not have the type of mind that could keep her days occupied with new adventures, real or imagined. It's funny, because as scatter brained and flakey as she was, she needed order in her spontaneous whims. She needed organized gatherings. Where I could pull out a paint set and spend hours creating my own masterpiece (to myself, if no one else), Renee needed an art class with an instructor to guide her imagination. If she tried it on her own she'd move on to the next distraction within half an hour. She might only go to lessons for two or three weeks before she moves on to the next passing fancy, but she needs someone else to plan the events and give her structure. Forks was just a small town, with very little attractions to keep Renee's interest.

Charlie didn't help, of course. He was content in his small town life. This is what led to the day when Renee informed me that we were leaving Forks to find greener pastures. I didn't think there could possibly be a greener place than Forks, Washington, but I kept that to myself. In fact, she took us to a place that was rather brown. Phoenix, Arizona was our new home. I was 7 when we left, and it was really hard to leave Charlie. I never really viewed him as my dad, as I still had that place in my heart reserved for a biological father I barely remembered. But I cared about Charlie, and it upset me to see him hurt. He may have been a man few words and content with a simple life, but I knew how much he loved me. I really loved him, too.

Living on my own with Renee was…interesting. Remember that structure that I mentioned before? Well, it turns out that Charlie was the structure that allowed her to appear as a fully functioning adult. In some ways, this was really good for me. My basic nature is a bit care free and irresponsible, not really taking life seriously. Because Renee was so careless in the planning and organizing of our lives, I had to become more of the parent in our house. I wanted to have dinner every night, which meant that we had to consistently have groceries in the house. It also meant that I had to make sure we were up in time for school and that Renee had all her lesson plans together, so we'd have money to buy said groceries. I didn't care for it, but it was necessary. Plus, it saved me from endless nights of fish lasagna, hotdog broccoli casserole and bizarre omelet creations.

This dynamic of our relationship was also beneficial to me, and well, unfortunate for anyone on my bad side. You see, Renee viewed me less as a daughter and more of a sister or friend. This left the issue of discipline and general parental type responsibilities to fall to the side. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a bad kid. I was the best student in my grade, and I took care of the responsibilities Renee slacked. I just had a tendency to bend the rules a bit.

I liked to push boundaries as far as I could, and see what I could get away with. I had the sweet, innocent, never-hurt-a-fly look mastered by age 8. I was also very crafty. I didn't really have any friends, and so all the adults at my school thought that I was just the shy introverted type. Not likely. I just had a hard time relating with the other kids in my classes. They didn't understand me and I thought they were pretty lame. Because of this, I could cause general mayhem in my classes, and no one ever looked in my direction.

I focused my mischievous ire on those annoying kids who think they're better than everyone around them and generally treat people like it's their world and you're just an unwelcome interloper. You know who I'm talking about. There was this one boy who always felt the need to take things that didn't belong to him. He would always hide his little stolen treasures so that the few times that a student actually reported the item missing they were never found within his clutches. One day our teacher brought in some old relic that had been passed down for generations and was his most prized possession. Oh Lord, did he treasure it, and talk about it…and talk, and talk and talk. So, I sneaked out of gym and put in a phone call asking to speak to good old Mr. Calvin of the ancient relic. I then used a bobby pin to break into his classroom and hide the revered relic amongst the thieving bully's belongings. Mr. Calvin was furious with him. He claimed he didn't do it, but then, he'd been accused before. They just hadn't had the proof. Now they did. Mwahahaha! Hopefully he got some help for his debilitating kleptomania. I was just trying to help him. Honest.

When I was 10, Renee started seriously dating a man named Phil Dwyer. He was a minor league baseball player. While Renee had dated a few men here and there since she divorced Charlie, Phil was the first man she'd brought home to meet me. That's how I knew this one was serious and potentially long term. Renee may be flighty and irresponsible about some things, but she'd never bring one of her boyfriends into my life if she wasn't planning to keep him. Phil was able to help take some of the adult responsibilities off my shoulders. He helped give Renee back some of the structure she lost back in Forks. He was also a decent cook and helped teach Renee about recipes. They are excellent inventions, and some products even have them printed right on the label. Evening meals became much more enjoyable, and while most nights he stayed until after I went to sleep, I never saw him in the morning. See, Renee could be a responsible parent sometimes.

Even though I really liked Phil, I still missed Charlie a lot. I would spend most the summer months with him in Forks. I would stay at the La Push reservation with Charlie's friend Billy while he went to work. His son, Jake, was a few years younger than me. He way more fun than most kids, and we really got along. We'd spend hours exploring the forest and swimming at First Beach. We also loved to play jokes on his friends Quil and Embry.

One year I spent all the school year writing in a diary as if I were Quil lamenting about how much I was in love with Embry, while Jake did the same with Embry about Quil. The next summer we placed the diaries in inconspicuous places that would still be likely found by the other boy. It was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. Neither one wanted to admit that they'd read the diary and both were awkward as ass around each other. Whenever we hung out together Jake and I would always try to leave them by themselves (and of course circle back around so that we could spy on them), but they would never let us leave them.

We then decided to confront each of them separately. We told the both of them that we'd asked the other about the weird behavior and that they'd admitted their undying love. You should have seen the look on their faces! We had so much fun with that one all summer long. A few days before I had to go back to Phoenix, we forced the two together and told them they were friends and needed to talk it out. The conversation that followed is one of my fondest memories. There was awkwardness, followed by extreme confusion, and then we moved onto severe embarrassment, finally landing on unadulterated rage. Jake and I laughed and laughed. I felt a bit bad afterward, because they didn't talk to Jake for a few weeks. He assured me that it was totally worth it. I agreed.

I also enjoyed spending time with Charlie. He was an easy person to live with. I would help him with dinner most nights so that we could not only eat, but also have access to a kitchen that wasn't in a house burned to the ground. Charlie is the type of guy who would put food wrapped in tin foil in the microwave for reheating. Honestly, I don't know how the man survives on his own.

He would take me and Jake fishing every now and then and we'd all sit out on the peaceful lake relaxing in what little sun can be found in the Pacific Northwest. A lot of nights we'd just relax in front of the television, Charlie with a baseball game and me with a book. The time I spent with him was so different from the time with Renee. Instead of being shuffled to different lessons and events, always on the go, Charlie and I would just enjoy each others' company.

That had the best summer of my life, as Jake and I pulled off the awesome diary prank and filled our summer with enough happy memories to last me until the next summer. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I had no happy times with Renee. It's just that I didn't really have any friends in Phoenix, and I cherished my friendship with Jake. My birthday was July 3rd, so I always got to celebrate with Charlie, Jake and all our friends down at the Rez.

No one knew when my actual birthday was, so I was allowed to choose it myself. Pretty sweet deal, if I say so myself. I saw my first firework display shortly after being left at the orphanage. It reminded me of the dreams I had of a magical world I so wished was real. So when I was asked when I wanted to celebrate my birthday I immediately knew I wanted there to be fireworks. Doc told me that there would always be fireworks on Independence Day. After explaining the significance of the day, I immediately knew I didn't want to steal America's thunder. She told me that there are usually a few days of firework displays leading up to the fourth, so we decided on July 3rd*.

That year I was turning 11, and Charlie took me, Jake and Billy to a Mariners game in Seattle. Jake and I were allowed to pig out on as much ballpark food as we could stuff in our faces. We had a blast doing the wave and the chicken dance, as well as letting the Yankees know that we would in fact rock them, possibly drop them, and then in all probability throw them in the toilet while hoping they enjoy it. Charlie didn't like our little addition to the chant. Blame Queen. It turns out that the Yankees are actually better at rocking, dropping, and throwing opposing teams into toilets. They're New Yorkers, so I wasn't surprised when they didn't give us their best wishes to enjoy our stay in said toilet. We had a good time, though, despite the loss. The best part was after the game when the stadium set off the best fireworks display I'd ever seen. And all for me. You'll get your day tomorrow, America. It was my best birthday to date, that I could remember, anyway.

I came back to Phoenix at the beginning of August to spend the last two weeks of the summer with Renee and Phil. A few days after I got home a strange woman came to our house asking to speak with me and Renee about my education. Renee had researched schools for gifted children when we first got to Phoenix. I was able to get a scholarship to one of the best private schools in the city, so I wasn't sure what this woman was playing at. She was wearing what looked to be a long sleeve, floor length robe. Really, lady? It's August in Phoenix. We're talking about the desert here, people. In August.

She said that her name was Professor Sanderson and that she was a witch. For the first time in my life, I was speechless. I'm not saying that it's the first time I've kept my mouth shut and refrained from speaking. I'm saying it's the first time I've been incapable of speech. This was caused by my current incapacity to think. Everything and nothing was going through my head all at once. I know it doesn't make sense; just go with it. Point is, I was thunder struck. Professor Sanderson had managed to thunder strike* me.

A/N:

Firstly, I want to thank xcaligirl821x and Sweetie7smiled for reviewing. I took a break from writing budget variances (which I loathe, btw) to check my e-mail and was so excited to see that someone actually reviewed! It made my day. I also want to thank those of you who favorite and reviewed for giving the story a chance. I hope you like it. :)

As for my notations from above:

* Bella's Birthday: She will find out later that her real birthday is September 13th, but I figured that if she was abandoned at an orphanage that she may not know her true birthday. It also would have been terribly inconvenient for the timeline of my story if Edward didn't leave until September. :) July 3rd is my birthday and people always tell me if I'd just hold out one more day I would have been born on Independence Day. I always disagree for the aforementioned reasons. I don't steal America's thunder, but I always get fireworks on my birthday. It's totally win, win. Well, win, win, fail. It also means that I have to share my birthday with Tom Cruise. Total fail. : / Ah well, you can't win them all. I also thought that fireworks are a bit magical if you ignore all the physics going on in the back ground.

* "Dude, I didn't mean to thunder strike you." This was an It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference. I heart Charlie Day.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Previously:

_She said that her name was Professor Sanderson and that she was a witch. For the first time in my life, I was speechless. I'm not saying that it's the first time I've kept my mouth shut and refrained from speaking. I'm saying it's the first time I've been incapable of speech. This was caused by my current incapacity to think. Everything and nothing was going through my head all at once. I know it doesn't make sense; just go with it. Point is, I was thunder struck. Professor Sanderson had managed to thunder strike me._

Chapter 3:

Then came the words I'd always known in my heart to be true, "You're a witch, too." My head was reeling. I'm a witch. I'd always thought that I belonged in a different world. A world where magic is common place. I'd discussed this with Renee and Charlie when I was first adopted. They told me that the world in my head was pretend. They didn't tell me I was stupid or forbid me to speak of such things. They told me that I should always treasure my imagination. They were, however, adamant that it was, in fact, all imaginary. Professor Sanderson was here to say "Yeah, not so much."

"Come again?" was Renee's brilliant response. Not that I was doing any better. I was still staring at the woman with my mouth gaping like a fish out of water. Brilliant first impression, Bella. "Your daughter is a witch, Ms. Swan," she'd repeated. I realized that she thought I didn't believe her when she started trying to talk me into the idea. She'd asked me if I'd ever done anything I couldn't explain when I was scared or angry. Truthfully the only thing I'd ever wondered about was how I evaded getting caught during some of my adventures. There had been times where I just knew I was busted, and had fervently wished I could just blend into the wall. Every time the teacher or student just passed me by like I wasn't even there. I'd brushed it off thinking they were just exceptionally unobservant. Maybe not. Maybe it had been magic. The problem was that I couldn't really tell my potential future professor that I'd sometimes make myself invisible when I was about to get caught breaking the rules. That would go over well, I'm sure.

Trying to think of other examples, I realized that I didn't really have much of a temper, and it was very difficult to truly scare me. Sure, it bothered me when people were rude to me and bullied those whom they viewed as weaker than themselves. I don't get mad, though; I get even. What's the point of getting overly angry and letting your emotions cloud your judgment? You make mistakes when you react that way. That's the same reason why I don't get overly scared. Fear is not a logical response to a potentially dangerous situation. In fact, allowing your fear to overtake your reason will more than likely cause whatever you fear to reach the very eventuality you were afraid of in the first place. It's a vicious cycle, is all I'm saying. Because of this, I couldn't think of a single time I may have used accidental magic to offer up as verification to her claim.

Because of this, I decided to take a different approach. I told her about my dreams. How I have vague memories of my biological father and his friends. How they lived in a magical world that I had accepted was only real in my imagination. I asked her if perhaps they weren't just random dreams. Could my father be a wizard? Professor Sanderson noticeably stiffened when I mentioned the dreams I had of my long lost father. She politely glossed over the paternity issue, telling me that while anything is possible, the school believed me to be a muggle born witch. At the dumbfounded expression on Renee's and my face she informed us that muggles are non-magic folk. Ah, of course.

She then began to tell me about her school. She said that she was a professor at Salem Institute for Witches, which was the first magical school in the United States. Upon hearing this I laughed. Out loud. In her face. She didn't really appreciate it. I asked her if she'd seen the movie "Hocus Pocus." She informed me that she does not keep up with muggle popular culture and that she'd never, in fact, seen _any_ movie. I was back to gaping again. This was going to be a long conversation. I explained that the movie is about three witches called the Sanderson sisters who are resurrected in Salem and proceed to terrorize the town. I then asked her if there was any relation. She didn't find this amusing, either. Moving on.

She explained that the all girl school is the most prestigious magical primary school in the United States, and that it is a great honor to be accepted there. She told me about all the different classes and what the general day to day life is like for a Salem student. She explained that I would be attending the school for seven years, and that I would be required to take two sets of tests. I'd take the O.W.L.S., or Ordinary Wizarding Levels, at the end of my fifth year. The O.W.L results would show me which subjects I would be allowed to continue at N.E.W.T level. Upon completion of my seventh year I would sit for my N.E.W.T.s, or Nasty Exhausting Wizarding Tests. Charming, I know. If I did well on these tests I would pretty much be able to do anything I wanted in the wizarding world. I was ecstatic. It was every dream I'd ever had come true right before my eyes. I was a witch. I was going to study magic!

At this point Renee returned to her senses after concluding her out of body experience. She'd always thought her daughter had an overactive imagination, but it turns out she just had a really good memory. I couldn't really blame her for checking out for a few minutes. However, when she saw the overjoyed expression on my face, she suddenly paled and shook her head. What? Renee was saying no?

You know how I said that I never lose my temper? Well, there's a first time for everything. I saw red. Then I saw breaking glass. Ah, there's that elusive accidental magic you were asking about, Professor.

Renee dropped to her knees in front of me and grasped my hands. "I'm sorry, Bella," she'd said. She told me she'd never deny me this opportunity if it was in her power to provide it. She was an elementary school teacher. The only reason I was able to attend the private academy was because of my scholarship. Upon seeing the heartbroken expression on Renee's face my temper immediately disappeared. Renee couldn't afford to send me to the most prestigious magical academy in the US. Of course she couldn't. That's okay, though. There had to be other less expensive schools, I reasoned.

However, upon hearing what the problem was, Professor Sanderson informed us that the tuition was a non-issue. She said that there was an old family in Britain who provided a special scholarship, and that I had been chosen to receive it. All they needed was a drop of my blood on an official withdrawal of funds from the account, and all my tuition would be paid for. She didn't actually allow either me or Renee to read the document, but I noticed that the word "Gringotts" across the top of the parchment. I was understandably suspicious about this mysterious and undeniably convenient scholarship. However, you should never look a gift horse in the mouth, and this was horse was a freaking prized stallion. I didn't care if its teeth were jacked up.

Renee wasn't quite as enthusiastic about the idea of me spilling my blood on a binding document without reading it, so I quickly held out my hand. Before any objections could be made Professor Sanderson had pricked my finger and the contract was binding. Nothing was going to stop me from studying magic. Professor Sanderson assured Renee that the contract simply stated that I accepted the transfer of the scholarship funds to pay for my tuition and boarding expenses as well as a yearly stipend while I attend Salem. She explained that the funds will only be given to the school as long as I was a student there, and that if I decided to go to a different institution the funds would be forwarded to the new school of my choosing. Sweet. Thank you, fairy god mother. I then wondered if perhaps I wasn't too far off. I asked the professor and she just smiled.

At the mention of other magical schools Renee startled. She asked Professor Sanderson if there was such a place as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Sanderson looked surprised at that and informed Renee that it was a school in Scotland where most of the magical children in Britain attend. Apparently I had received a letter from them while I was in Forks and Renee thought that someone was playing a prank on me. Professor Sanderson told us that while Hogwarts was an extraordinary school, that wizarding communities throughout Europe and Asia had issues with discrimination against muggle borns. She said that while there is currently peace in wizarding Britain, persecution based on blood status was still an ongoing issue. She told us that a mere seven years ago the country was at war, and blood prejudice still runs deep. There would be those who would view me as less of a person because of my unknown biological parentage and muggle adoptive parents.

I didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like what the United States had experienced with desegregation. There were a lot of people who hated other people for no reason except the color of their skin. There are still issues of racism in this country, of course, but we've come a long way. People aren't born to hate each other for no reason, and because I wasn't raised to notice a difference between people because of their appearance, I don't. I really don't like people that do. It's blatant ignorance, and there's no reasoning with someone who refuses to see the truth that their hate is irrational. A person should be judged by their actions, and that's how I want to be judged when I enter the magical world.

Professor Sanderson informed me that most people in the American wizarding communities don't even acknowledge blood status. She explained that most witches and wizards in this country came to America because they were sick of the discriminatory practices entrenched in their home countries. She also explained how it's not just muggle borns that face discrimination. "Purebloods" also face prejudice when they openly welcome new magic blood into their wizarding communities. They call them blood traitors. Honestly, what's wrong with those people? It sounds to me like they are so damn inbred they've lost the ability of cognizant thought. I mean, they do realize if there weren't new people entering the gene pool they'd all be married to their own cousins which would perpetuate recessive genes, causing birth defects and overall genetic sketchiness, right? I asked her this and she just laughed. Out loud. In my face. Well, turnabout is fair play, I suppose. She explained that it was actually relatively common place in pureblood circles to marry someone with whom they have a blood relation. Squick. Apparently this was another popular reason for "pureblooded" wizards to migrate to the US. They didn't want to marry their cousins. I don't blame them.

After our discussion about the differences between magical communities around the world, I decided to stay in America and attend the Salem Institute for Witches. Upon hearing my decision Professor Sanderson smiled and told me that I should now forget all about that blood purity hogwash because it is considered offensive to differentiate between magical persons in America based on blood status. Fine by me, Professor.

We then moved our discussion on to what I'd need to do in preparation for my first year at Salem. Sandy, as I'd now dubbed her, gave me a list of supplies I'd need to bring with me to school. Er…cauldrons, a wand, magical books…Where on Earth was I supposed to find these things? She informed me that there are multiple magical shopping districts in America and that she would be coming back the next weekend to escort me and Renee. I wanted to go right then, but she said she had to get the "scholarship" filed so that I could get my stipend (yeah right, Professor, like I'm buying that story. I decided it would be a side project once I'd settled in to figure out what that was all about). She gave me a list of cities and asked me which one I preferred. I chose New York. How awesome is that? I was going to wizarding NYC!

A/N:

I don't really have a set schedule for posting this story. Right now I have a lot of ideas swimming in my head, and I just want to get them out there. I'll probably update quickly until my muse runs out and I have to go on a hunt for inspiration.

Thank you to Sweetie7smiled and StopTheMadness for your reviews! I really appreciate it!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

Waiting a week for Sandy to come back and take us to the New York wizarding community was one of the hardest things I'd ever done in my 11 years of life. I was so excited that I could barely stand it. One of the great things about Renee is that because she is so young at heart, she was just as excited as I was. We spent the next week feeding each other's excitement until we were both about to burst.

Sandy had explained it was against wizarding laws to expose our world to muggles. At first Sandy said that only Renee and Charlie would be able to know the truth about magic. However, I convinced her to let me tell Jacob. It took some creative logic, but I finally got us there. I reasoned that Renee and Charlie were not blood relatives, but they were still considered my parents. Why couldn't Jacob be considered my brother? That is the relationship we'd had ever since the Swans adopted me. He was as much family to me as Charlie and Renee. She finally relented under the condition that he allowed her to place a charm over the knowledge in his mind. It would make him unable to discuss anything related to magic with someone who wasn't already in the know. If he didn't agree to the charm, she would wipe his memory of the conversation. I knew he'd agree. She was going to take us to Forks to talk with Charlie and Jacob on our way to New York.

Phil wasn't allowed to know unless he and Renee got married. We'd told him that Renee had won a contest for a 3 night trip to New York. Neither of us had ever been there, so he accepted our exuberance at face value. Sandy said that magical traveling was a lot easier than the muggle way, and that we could get back on our own if we wanted to stay a few nights. Something about connecting our fireplace to the floo network…whatever that means.

I was concerned how we'd pay for our mini vacation, but Sandy said that we could use the stipend that the "scholarship" provided to fund our trip. I asked her how much money I would receive each year, so that I could make sure I didn't run out. She seemed uncomfortable. She said that it was more than generous and that I would be given a money pouch that was directly connected to the Gringotts account that held the "scholarship" funds. Upon our questioning looks, Sandy explained that Gringotts is the wizarding bank. There are branches all over the world, and it's run by goblins.

After educating us about wizard money, Sandy explained that the pouch would provide the galleons, knuts or sickles I needed, as I needed them. All I had to do was reach in the bag and the exact amount I needed would be provided. The pouch would only respond to me. Anyone else sticking their hand in would be rewarded with a nasty burn.

Now, most 11-year-olds would probably be ecstatic about the idea of having this seemingly never ending money pouch. I, however, had spent the last four years being the adult in Renee's life. I had to make sure that she didn't blow all her income on random whims, leaving us without money to pay for the necessities. I understood the concept of money management. I didn't want to run out of money in the middle of the year because Renee and I decided to have a kick ass vacation in NYC.

I could clearly see that Sandy had not expected a preteen to question the issue further. Apparently she thought I'd be appeased by the concept of the pouch. When I needed money, the pouch would provide. She obviously had a lot to learn about Bella Swan. "The money is coming from somewhere," I'd reasoned. "The pouch provides the funds, because they are available in the account. What if they are no longer available? How do I know if I'm about to run out if I don't know how much I have to begin with," I'd asked. She told me she'd have the goblins monitor the account, and that if my spending habits were such that the yearly allotment were to run out if they continued, I would be informed in plenty of time. I got the impression I would not be receiving such a warning. Something told me there was no yearly limit, and the funds in the account were in no danger of drying up any time soon. What type of scholarship gives you never ending money bags? I was very suspicious, but had allowed Sandy to steer the conversation in a new direction.

I thought a lot about it over the next few days, though. The document which required my blood said "Gringotts" at the top. How would the bank know that I was the recipient based on my blood? If the answer was in my blood, then perhaps it had to do with my biological family. I noticed that Sandy had tensed with I asked about my bio dad. She wanted to talk about him about as much as she wanted to continue answering my questions about the so called scholarship. I started to wonder if the two things were related. Perhaps the reason that I was receiving these funds was because the ancient British family providing the scholarship was mine.

I remember being teased for the way I talked when I first arrived to the orphanage. Could it be that I had an accent? I tried hard to remember my time before the orphanage, or even how I spoke when I first arrived. Every time I thought I was getting close to remembering, I'd lose the memory in a cloud of smoke. It was so frustrating! It was like trying to catch smoke…like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. I started to think that maybe I was reading too much into it. Was I seeing things that weren't there because I was so desperate to know what happened to my dad?

I decided to take my investigation back to the place where it all started. As Doc and I had become very close when I was living at the orphanage, she made an effort to keep up with my life as a Swan. I figured she could at least answer my questions about whether or not I had an accent when she first met me. I sent her a letter asking her what she could remember about the man who dropped me off, and if I had arrived with a distinct accent. I mailed it to her a few days before Sandy returned. With that taken care of, I had nothing to occupy my thoughts except the wonders I would experience over the next 7 years of my life.

On the day of Sandy's return, Renee and I were both in rare form. She had recently taken up knitting and was trying to occupy her hands making some atrocious…well, I'm not exactly sure what she was trying to make. A blanket? Perhaps a hat? There really was no telling. Not that It mattered. She would be on to a new hobby before she could finish whatever the hell it was, anyway. I filled my time waiting by pacing. I couldn't sit still. I was too anxious.

As I was making my journey back toward the television the fire suddenly roared to life, and it was green. Okay, that's not normal, right? Not only that, the green fire also spit out a human person. There, standing in the middle of our living room, was Professor Sanderson looking for all the world like she didn't just materialize out of fire. She was my new hero. She explained that traveling through fireplaces was called Flooing. I was going to be traveling through a fireplace! How awesome is that?

First, however, we were going to Forks to talk to Charlie and Jake. While she had already connected Charlie's fireplace to the floo network, we couldn't very well just pop out of his fireplace before explaining magic to him. I had asked him to make sure he and Jake were at his house that morning, saying that I had a surprise for them. They were going to be surprised, all right. I was a bit nervous as to how Charlie would take it. I knew Jake would be stoked. However he felt about the reality of magic, I knew he'd be happy once he realized how happy I was to be entering this new world.

Sandy told us we would be travelling by portkey. After explaining the concept, she pulled a soda can out of her bag, pointed her wand it and said, "Portus." Renee and I both put a hand on the can. Thirty seconds later I felt a pull on the back of my navel and I was suddenly flying through some strange vortex with Sandy and Renee. A few seconds after it started I felt myself hit the ground. Hard. It was…disorienting. But hey, it was better than dealing with crying babies, no leg room and TSA. I lifted my head and noted that Renee was in a similar state a few yards away. Sandy was looking as composed as ever. After Renee and I righted ourselves, the three of us made our way toward Charlie's house.

Charlie was rather surprised when he opened the door to find me, Renee and a strange woman in robes, however he politely invited us in and led us to the living room where Jake was waiting. After introducing Charlie and Jake to Professor Sanderson, we explained that I would be going to a special school next year, and that we needed to discuss some new developments in my life with him. Now that Sandy knew about my dreams and the discussions I'd had with Charlie and Renee about magic in the past, she had a better starting point to begin her explanations. She informed Charlie that the magic I spoke of was not only found in my imagination. She told him that magic was real, and that his daughter was a witch. Charlie just stared at her wide eyed and unblinking while Jake's smile split his face in two and he started bouncing excitedly in his seat.

After the initial shock wore off, Charlie said something really surprising. He looked at me and simply said, "I always knew you were special, kiddo." My heart filled with warmth for Charlie in that moment. He was always so accepting of me. I had always known that it was Renee who was set on adopting me. However, in that moment I knew how much Charlie loved me. He was clearly uncomfortable with this strange news, but he put aside his own discomfort for my happiness. He really is a great father.

Jake was over the moon. He asked Sandy if he could come with us to New York. He'd never been a shy boy. Charlie said that he'd also like to come for the day. He said that he'd bring Jacob back with him that evening. I couldn't believe that Charlie was willing to travel through a fireplace. I couldn't have been happier. After calling Billy to inform him that Jake would be spending the day helping Charlie around the yard, we all crowded around the fireplace. Sandy gave us a floo demonstration, and then apparated back into Charlie's living room to oversee our use of the network.

I volunteered to try it first. I excitedly grabbed a fist full of floo powder and stepped into the magically enlarged fireplace. I took a deep breath, then threw down the powder while stating clearly, "Toils for your Troubles, New York," just like Sandy had done. The next thing I knew I was flying through some other dimension speeding past multiple fireplaces until I felt my body pulling towards one that was coming up fast. The next thing I knew, I was spit out of the fireplace onto the floor of an old restaurant/hotel. Sandy displayed a much more graceful exit. I'd have to get with her about that.

I stood up and dusted myself off just in time to avoid Renee crashing on top of me. The process repeated itself until finally Sandy landed gracefully from the fireplace. Jake and I were stoked and ready to explore.

Sandy explained that Toils for your Troubles was both a hotel and the entrance to wizarding New York. Sandy explained that the exit of the hotel led to Time Square in muggle New York. We were all shocked. Apparently muggles can't see the entrance unless they are being escorted by a wizard. There are charms placed over the entrance that allow wizards to enter and exit the hotel without being noticed by the muggles. I love magic.

After paying for our rooms for the next 3 nights, Sandy led us through the back of the bar and out to the entrance to the wizarding district. Upon entering this amazing street, the four newbs just stood there agape. It was…well, magical. My eyes were all over the place. There was so much to experience, so much to see. Jake and I turned to look at each other at the same moment and his face reflected the same awe I was feeling. Both of our faces broke into the most ridiculous grins at the same time.

I turned my face to Sandy and noticed she had been watching my reaction with interest. She had a fondness in her eyes, and I realized that it must be amazing to witness a person seeing this world for the first time, knowing it's where they belong. I smiled back at her and she suggested we first get my wand. Sa-weet. We entered the wand shop and met a man by the named Mr. Janssen. He looked to be in his late fifties. He was a fascinating man. While a measuring tape was flying around my body taking the most ludicrous measurements, Mr. Janssen told me a bit about wand lore. He explained that the wand chooses the wizard. He said that when you found the wand meant for you, it would feel like an extension of yourself. We had a very difficult time finding the wand meant for me, but Mr. Janssen never got impatient or agitated. I was surprised considering I'd destroyed half of his store during the trial and error process of testing wands.

He kept us all enthralled with his journeys around the world studying wand lore. He'd apprenticed with one of the greatest wand makers alive, a British man by the name of Ollivander. After learning all he could from Mr. Ollivander, he traveled the world to discover the different bits of lore used in large and small villages around the world. Then a few years ago Mr. Janssen's father became ill, and he returned to New York to take over the family business.

After about thirty minutes of failed attempts to find my wand, I started to feel dejected. Then Mr. Janssen's face brightened and he gave me a calculated look. He went into a back room and came out with a dusty old box. When he opened it I let out a small gasp. It was beautiful. The wood was light and had a vine of freesias carved around it. None of the other wands I'd seen had carvings like this one. He told me that the wand was made many years ago by a woman that he'd met in a small village while on his travels. Even without a core, he had been able to feel the magic in the wood. She had given him the wand shell and asked him to use his knowledge to give the wand its magical core. She told him he'd know what to use when the time came.

A few months later he was travelling through a forest in India when he came across a Pegasus. The creatures were so rare that many believe them to be extinct. Upon seeing Mr. Janssen the creature extended its wing in offering. Mr. Janssen immediately knew that this was the core meant for the shell the old woman had gifted him. I couldn't believe that he actually thought this incredible wand could be meant for me. Surely not.

The next thing I knew, he was placing the ten and a half inch elm wood wand with a Pegasus feather core in my small hand. The reaction was instantaneous. I felt warmth start in my hand and spread throughout my body, filling a void within myself that I never knew existed. He was right, this wand completed my being. It was a part of me. Luckily the wand agreed and started emitting the most brilliant fireworks I'd ever seen. I looked up to Mr. Janssen to find him beaming at me. I didn't hesitate. I launched myself at him and gave him the strongest hug my muscles were capable of giving, while thanking him profusely. He continued beaming at me and told me he was very happy to have found the witch meant for the special wand.

When I turned back to the rest of my companions they were all grinning at my happy display. I only had one question. "So, what's next?"

A/N:

I had planned on skipping most of the details of Bella's life until the point where she met the Cullens. I was going to hit the big points of her discovery of her true identity, but I wasn't planning on being as in the moment as I have been. Once I got into writing the chapters, I realized that I wanted to know what makes her the person that she is (As she's pretty OOC), so I am delving a little bit more into her pre-Cullen life than I had originally anticipated. I hope no one is too disappointed that you'll be waiting a few more chapters to meet our favorite vampire family.

Also, you've probably noticed that I'm making Bella a mini-Sirius. She's got a mischievous streak a mile long, and she'll have her own version of the Marauders at Salem. I was thinking of calling them the "Scheming Salem Skirts." What do you think about that name? As you can tell by the name of New York's version of the Leaky Cauldron (Toil for your Troubles) and the lack of name for New York's Diagon Alley, I am not very good at coming up with names. A marketing genius, I am not. If you have any ideas for the shopping district name or a better name for the hotel and Bella's gang, please let me know!

Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

After leaving the wand shop, Sandy led us to the other stores we needed to visit. She escorted us to the book store, where I purchased all the books that were required for a first year Salem student. I'd always loved to read, so I decided to put my never ending money pouch to good use. I purchased a book about the history of the Salem Institute, as well as the three other major magical institutions around the world. I was especially interested in Hogwarts, A History, because they had also invited me to study there. I also purchased some books on wizard genealogy in hopes that I could find out the truth about where I came from.

We also visited an apothecary where I purchased all my potion supplies, and a robe shop where I was fitted for my school uniforms and everyday robes. My second favorite shop, after the bookstore, was the sporting goods shop. Apparently there is a sport called Quidditch that is widely popular in the magical world. The shop keepers explained the game to me, and I was ecstatic. It sounded way more fun that baseball! Charlie and Jacob were also excited about this exciting new sport. They convinced me to buy the latest racing broom. Enablers, the both of them.

After exploring more of the little town, we came across a pet store. Students were allowed to bring an owl, cat or toad with them to school. Sandy explained that owls are also used to carry mail, and suggested that I buy one in order to keep in touch with Renee, Charlie and Jacob. Upon entering the shop, my eyes zeroed in on a beautiful barn owl that had hidden itself behind all the other owls preening for attention. I immediately like him. As I approached their section, the owl turned his white, heart shaped face to me and blinked, well…owlishly. I held up my arm and he immediately flew to me. I stroked his white chest and asked him if he'd like to come home with me. He hooted and nipped my finger affectionately. I wanted to name him Hooter, but Charlie and Renee wouldn't hear of it. They're no fun. I ended up naming him Caelen.

After paying for Caelen and stocking up on owl care supplies, our group returned to the hotel exhausted and starving. We ate dinner, and then Sandy taught me my first two spells. Throughout our shopping spree she had been shrinking our packages to make them easier to tote around. She showed me how to reverse the spell and then recast it for the journey home. It was so exciting to finally get to do magic! She warned me about trying unknown spells without supervision, stating that I should wait until I arrived at school to try any of the spells I read about. After witnessing my first casting of the enlargement and shrinking charms, Sandy, Charlie and Jake headed back home while Renee and I crashed exhaustedly into our hotel beds.

The next few days were spent exploring both wizard and muggle New York. The city was so beautiful, and there was so much to see. The culture there is truly amazing. After the vacation was over, I spent most of my time reading up on the subjects I would be studying in the next year. It was also awesome to have access to the floo, as I could visit Charlie and Jake any time I wished. I had to stay in Charlie's house to avoid being seen, but it was still nice to know that they were just a fireplace away.

About a week before I was set to leave for school, I received a package from Doc. I had so much fun in New York, and been so engrossed in the new knowledge that I almost forgot I had written to her. Upon opening the package, I found an old jewelry box and a letter from Doc. She informed me that I did have an accent when I first arrived at the orphanage, but that I lost it within six months of living in there. She said the man that dropped me off didn't give her much information about me. Just that my name was Isabella, and he was my uncle Regulus. He told her that my parents died, leaving no one to look after me. The only thing he left for me was the jewelry box. He had asked her to give it to me a week after my 11th birthday, but she'd forgotten until she received my letter. I guess he assumed no one would want to adopt me and I'd still be at the orphanage. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Uncle Reg.

I opened the jewelry box, and found a letter and a necklace. The necklace had a key and a pendant of what looked to be some sort of crest. There was a shield with a skull at the top. Under the skull was a knight's arm holding a sword. Under that were three ravens. At the very bottom it said, "Toujour Pur." Well that's cheery. I wondered what that motto meant. I could speak Spanish pretty well, but this looked like French.

After examining the necklace, I picked up the letter. It was addressed to Isabella Black. I opened it with shaking hands and read the words that would turn my world upside down.

_Dearest Isabella,_

_I have asked your caretaker to give this to you a week after your eleventh birthday. On your birthday you should have found out the truth about your magic. You were such a gifted child; I've no doubt that you have already determined that you are different from the muggles in the world in which you have been confined. You must know that I am terribly sorry for removing you from the magical world, but you would not be safe if you stayed. _

_I asked that this letter be given to you a week after your birthday, because the news that I have to tell you is not happy. I wanted to give you the opportunity to enjoy the revelation that you're a witch before exposing you to some of the harsh realities of the magical world. You see, there are some witches and wizards in our world that use their magic for dark purposes. Regretfully, I was one of those wizards. I aligned myself with one of the darkest wizards in the history of our world. He was the Dark Lord, and leader of a campaign that sought to purge the world of muggles and muggle borns._

_You see, the House of Black is one of the oldest and most prestigious pureblood families in the wizarding world. The members of the House of Black have always been strong believers in blood purity and devoted followers of the Dark Arts. There are a few notable exceptions, your father, Sirius, being one of them. However, even though he didn't care a thing about blood purity, he was a pureblood wizard who fathered a pureblood daughter. Your mother was a pureblood witch named Isabella Jones. She became pregnant with you shortly after their graduation from Hogwarts. There were complications with your labor, and unfortunately she died shortly after you were born. _

_It wasn't until he ordered your capture that I started to see the true evil The Dark Lord was perpetrating. You were but an innocent child. The Death Eater's (the Dark Lord's servants) spread the word that they killed you, but that obviously wasn't true. I was not told that you were alive, and had been planning my own covert way to help end his reign of terror when I overheard his true intentions for you._

_Isabella, you are a very powerful witch. This has been evident since you were born, and you displayed this power as a mere four-year-old child when you were captured. You injured two Death Eaters using raw magic driven by your desire to protect yourself and your nanny. The Death Eater's reported this to the Dark Lord, and he then decided that you wouldn't be killed, but that you would be raised by Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black. Bellatrix is your second cousin and a devoted follower of the Dark Lord._

_They were to raise you to follow the Dark Lord and worship him above all else. He had planned to take an active role in your education and training in the Dark Arts. He was grooming you to become his Dark Lady. As fanatical followers, Rodolphus and Bellatrix would have stopped at nothing to ensure that you were molded into his perfect mate. I could not allow this to happen to you._

_It was said that Sirius went crazy and betrayed his friends to the Dark Lord. The information Sirius supposedly provided gave the Dark Lord the means to take out his biggest enemy, and I knew I had to act fast. While all of his followers were focused on the mission and the preparations to celebrate its assumed success, I sneaked in to the Lestrange mansion and stole you away. I didn't know if there was any truth to Sirius' treachery, so I couldn't take you to him. Even if I knew he was innocent, the Dark Lord would have known where you were and stopped at nothing to bring you back. _

_I decided to hide you in a small town in the United States, because it was an English speaking country far from the Dark Lord's reach. The US also has different views on blood purity than many have in Europe. It is unimportant to the magical communities there. Because of this, you can live your life as a muggle born witch without dealing with the prejudice you would undoubtedly face if you stayed in wizarding Britain, for you must keep your identity secret. This is imperative, Isabella. If by the time you read this the Dark Lord has not been defeated, he will come after you no matter where you are in the world. There will be no place safe for you. Even if he is defeated, the name of Black will have been ruined. You do not want to live your life with that cloud hanging over your head, Isabella._

_I cannot tell you what has become of your father, as I do not know the outcome of tonight's events. After leaving you, I am going to embark on a mission that I suspect will ultimately lead to my death. I have committed many abhorrent deeds in my life, but I'd like you to know, my niece, that I tried to do the right thing in the end. _

_In the jewelry case, you will find a necklace with the Black family crest and a key to our family vault at Gringotts. The goblins are very discreet, and will never reveal your true identity. The key and your blood will give you access to the vault, where you will find generations worth of Black family fortune. There is more gold than you could ever spend in ten lifetimes, as well as many ancient artifacts and family heirlooms. I suggest that before you touch anything other than the gold, you hire a curse breaker to test the artifacts for harmful dark magic._

_I'm sorry if I've overwhelmed you with all of this information, and at such a young age, but you need to know the truth about who you are. As I hope you heed my warning about concealing your true blood line, there will be no one else to give you this information. You also need to be aware of the danger you would be in if the truth about your identity were to be released. I imagine that whatever school you plan to attend will be made magically aware of your surname, and it won't take much for them to put the pieces together. For this reason, I implore you to attend a school in America, and to request that they keep your true identity concealed. _

_Again, I am very sorry to have removed you from your rightful place in the magical world. I just don't see any other alternative that would give you the opportunity for a happy life. I placed a memory charm on you before I dropped you off. I did not remove the memories; I just placed a block on your access to them. The charm will start to wear off over the next few years, so you will eventually have access to any memories that you would have originally retained._

_I wish you the best of luck in your life,_

_Your Uncle Regulus_

After rereading the letter multiple times, I was left staring blankly at my bedroom wall. My mind was reeling. A murderous despot decided that he wanted me to be his future wife when I was four? My uncle was a Death Eater who betrayed his cause to rescue me, and died trying to end said murderous despot's reign of terror? My father betrayed his friends to the man he thought ordered my death? It was all just too much.

I let the letter drop to the floor and curled into a ball on my bed. I then felt the emotions rush through me like a tidal wave and let out a strangled sob. My whole life I'd been longing for my father. I had always felt such a strong connection to him, even after all these years. I just didn't understand. None of this made any sense. No. Regulus said he was unsure about what happened to my father, or whether he was even the person to betray his friends. I wiped my face and determinately stalked down the stairs to the living room. I grabbed some floo powder, stepped into the fireplace and with a shaky voice stated, "Toils for your Troubles."

When I stepped out of the fireplace, the first stop I made was to Gringotts. I approached the first available goblin and asked him to tell me if the funds for the money pouch came from the same vault opened by the key on the necklace Regulus left me. The goblin eyed me curiously and examined both the pouch and the key. He then requested a drop of my blood, and performed some spell over the two items using my blood as some sort of catalyst. He was then able to confirm that the pouch was indeed funded with the gold from the vault opened by my key.

I couldn't hold in my snort, which caused the goblin to glare menacingly at me. I apologized for my rudeness and left with my key and money pouch. I left the bank and sat down on a bench just outside, contemplating what this meant. Sandy knew that I was no muggle born witch. She knew that I was Sirius Black's daughter, and that is why she noticeably tensed when I mentioned my father. She told me that I was receiving a scholarship so that I could have access to my money without knowing who I really was. I didn't know how I felt about that.

I decided that before I could judge her actions, I needed to understand what happened to my dad. I went to the book shop in search for information on the last British war. On my way to the history section I passed a section on languages. I picked up a French to English dictionary and looked up "Toujour Pur." Ah, Always Pure. Lovely. My family sounds like very charming people, don't they? I don't think I'd ever appreciated Charlie and Renee more in all my life.

Absorbing the latest disappointment of the afternoon, I returned the dictionary to its shelf and wove my way to the history section. I found the book that seemed the most comprehensive and made my way to the front. I paid 3 galleons of what I now knew was my money, and headed home. I was about to open the book when I noticed the genealogy book mixed in the pile of books on my desk. I looked through the index until my eyes landed on "House of Black," and hesitantly turned to my family's section. I looked through the trees until I saw "Sirius Black." Oh. My. God! Sandy wasn't joking when she said that the purebloods aren't shy about marrying relatives. My grandparents were third cousins! Squick!

After recovering from that shock, I saw a line extending from Sirius Black to Isabella Black (1979 – 1983). I couldn't pull my eyes way from the dates. It's not every day you see your death published in a book, especially when you're not dead. I finally slammed the book shut. I couldn't think about it anymore, so I returned to my bed with the book on the war in tow.

I read all about the war over the next couple of days. It didn't take long for me to be eternally grateful to my Uncle Regulus for taking me away from this horrible situation. I don't even want to think about what my life would have been like had I been raised by those animals.

Toward the end of the book it was mentioned that I had been captured and killed by Death Eaters. Again, it was very strange to read about my own death. The name "Potter" started to appear more frequently in the text, and it sounded so familiar. I kept getting fuzzy memories of a handsome man with wild black hair and a beautiful woman with red hair and the most beautiful green eyes. The clearest image this name provoked was a little boy with the man's wild hair and the woman's brilliant green eyes. I had visions of myself around age three doting on the little boy like he was my own living baby doll. I could also see the boy at about age one giggling uncontrollably while riding the giant black dog from the dreams I've had as long as I could remember. I knew this dog was my father; I'd seen him transform in my dreams before. How could this loving playful dog be the same man that betrayed his friends? It was just so hard to believe.

I continued reading until I reached the following paragraphs:

_After the death of his daughter, Sirius Black went mad. It had been well known that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had specifically targeted the Potters. It was believed that the Death Eaters killed young Isabella Black because her father was hiding them. Instead of focusing his need for revenge on the people who killed his little girl, he'd blamed the Potters. It is this author's opinion that Black reasoned that if he hadn't been helping James and Lily Potter, his daughter would still be alive. So he gave up their location, and because of his betrayal, they were killed. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named also tried to kill their son, Harry, but something went wrong. The curse backfired and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was vanquished that fateful Halloween night._

_After the Potters were found dead, another of their friends, a Peter Pettigrew, went after Black to avenge the Potters' death. Upon confronting his old friend, Sirius snapped and murdered Pettigrew and the twelve muggles in the way. Pettigrew was killed so brutally that the only thing that remained of his body was his finger. A dozen aurors arrived on the scene immediately after the curse was fired and subdued a raging Sirius Black. He was then taken to Azkaban prison, where he will spend the rest of his days._

I squeezed my eyes closed and slammed the book shut as I took in this new information. I now understood why Sandy didn't want to tell me who I really was. I suddenly felt very grateful for her attempt to fool me with the scholarship. This was not easy to digest. My father used my supposed death to betray his friends. Harry is an orphan because my father sought revenge in the worst possible way. I felt sick. I was the catalyst for two people's deaths.

I ran down stairs and asked Renee if she still had the letter from Hogwarts. We went up to her room where she was keeping all my magical papers hidden and pulled out the Hogwarts acceptance letter. The envelope was addressed to Isabella Swan. I felt relief course through my veins. They didn't know I was the daughter of Sirius Black. Gah, how much worse would it be for Harry if he knew that his parents were killed because of a lie? Feeling thoroughly deflated from the revelations of the week, I trudged back to my room and collapsed in bed, asleep before my head even hit the pillow. I didn't have a peaceful night's sleep, though. It was a restless sleep plagued with dreams and memories.

_I'm wearing a pretty pink dress with a princess tiara on my head. Daddy gave it to me, and said that I would always be his little princess. We are going to Harry's birthday party today. He's turning one. Even though I'm a big girl, Harry is still my best friend. Daddy and I got him a little broom, and I couldn't wait for him to open it. He'll be able to hover around a little bit off the ground. He's going to love it!_

_When we got to Auntie Lily and Uncle Jamie's house, I ran in to give Harry, Lily and Jamie big hugs. I loved Auntie Lily and Uncle Jamie so much. They were so much fun! I looked around and squealed in delight. Uncle Remy and Uncle Peter were here! I ran up to them and gave them both big hugs, too. Harry and I played while the grownups talked. _

_I wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying until I heard Daddy say something about Jamie and Lily going into hiding. I love hide-and-seek! I ran up to them and told them that I wanted to play, too. They were giving me funny looks, so I pouted and told them they were not going to play hide-and-seek without me! Daddy just chuckled and told me he'd never dream of it. _

_I noticed that Uncle Peter was looking kind of nervous so I wiggled out of Daddy's arms and grabbed his hand. I told him that he could be on my team, because I was the bestest at hiding. I promised him that if he was on my team, we'd never be found. All the adults just smiled adoringly at me, except Uncle Peter. He still seemed nervous. Oh well, I'm sure he'd be more comfortable once we found our hiding spot. _

_Auntie Lily said that before we went outside to play, Harry needed to open his presents. After he opened the broom that Daddy and I gave him, he didn't care a thing about Remy's book or Peter's chocolate. All he wanted to do was ride around on his new broom. He was so cute!_

_After singing "Happy Birthday" and eating the delicious cake Aunt Lily made, we finally made it outside to play hide-and-seek. As promised, Peter was on my team. Uncle Jamie was hiding with Harry and Remy and Lily were on their own. Daddy was it. I found the perfect hiding spot in a hollowed out tree, but Uncle Peter couldn't fit. I told him not to worry, that'd I find us an even better place, but he just grinned and transformed into his rat form. _

_The scene then blurred and changed into a busy street with muggles milling about. My dad was storming through the streets like a man possessed. He looked as crazy as the book claimed him to be. He was storming up to…Uncle Peter? Dad suddenly started screaming at him, asking him why. "Why did you do it, Peter? They were your friends!" Peter just looked nervous and shifty. "I didn't mean to," he squeaked. "He made me do it." That was not the right answer. Dad's face became enraged and he screamed, "I'll kill you!" However, Peter already had his wand ready, and with an evil smirk he sent out a curse that obliterated the dozen muggles around him, as well as severing his own finger. He then transformed into his rat form and scurried down the sewer while my Dad was surrounded by a dozen wizards with their wands drawn._

I woke up with a start, breathing erratically while my heart beat out of my chest.

In a cell thousands of miles away, Sirius Black awoke in a similar fashion after experiencing a dream that seemed more a memory of his lost little girl's before morphing into his own memory of the day he confronted that traitorous rat, Pettigrew.

A/N:

First off, thank you to Twilight Gleek, symmsters and Writers Of The Gods for your reviews! I really appreciate them!

Two general notes: I changed my avatar on my profile to a picture of what I imagine Bella's owl, Caelen to look like. Also, I'm making it so that in there aren't underage restrictions on magic in the US.

Okay, so a lot happened in this chapter. More, actually than I had originally planned. I had always planned for Regulus to reveal her identity in this manner, but the rest of it just seemed right once I got to writing. I don't see my Bella sitting idly by after everything that Regulus revealed. She's always been pretty independent, and she would be determined to find out the truth about her dad. The dream just sort of came to me while I was writing, and I ended up really liking it. Bella always felt connected to her dad, and when she needed to know the truth she sort of connected their subconsiouses. She has no idea she did this, of course. So, the next chapter will be focusing on her years at Salem, and then chapter seven we should meet the Cullens.

Please let me know what you think! Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

_Previously:_

_The scene then blurred and changed into a busy street with muggles milling about. My dad was storming through the streets like a man possessed. He looked as crazy as the book claimed him to be. He was storming up to…Uncle Peter? Dad suddenly started screaming at him, asking him why. "Why did you do it, Peter? They were your friends!" Peter just looked nervous and shifty. "I didn't mean to," he squeaked. "He made me do it." That was not the right answer. Dad's face became enraged and he screamed, "I'll kill you!" However, Peter already had his wand ready, and with an evil smirk he sent out a curse that obliterated the dozen muggles around him, as well as severing his own finger. He then transformed into his rat form and scurried down the sewer while my Dad was surrounded by a dozen wizards with their wands drawn._

I woke with a start, breathing erratically while my heart beat out of my chest.

In a cell thousands of miles away, Sirius Black awoke in a similar fashion after experiencing a dream that seemed more a memory of his lost little girl's before morphing into his own memory of the day he confronted that traitorous rat, Pettigrew.

Chapter Six:

I couldn't get back to sleep that night. My mind kept analyzing the dream over and over. I didn't know what to believe. Was my mind offering alternatives to documented history in order feed a delusion of the father in my dreams, or was I somehow seeing what actually happened that horrible day so many years ago? I was confused, and emotionally exhausted. It was just that even though the dream scenario seemed outlandish, everything inside of me was telling me it was the truth.

If Peter was really the one who betrayed Lily and Jamie, he had also intentionally framed my dad. He'd probably helped that asshole, Voldemort (now that I knew his name, I refused to call him anything else) capture me. I mean, I had to be hidden, too, right? How do people think the Death Eaters knew where to find me?

The more I thought about the way everything happened, the stronger I believed in my father's innocence. The memories were coming back in hazy flashes, but my knowledge of his heart, what made him Sirius Black, was coming back strong. He was a good man. He'd turned his back on his family because he didn't believe in the blood purity nonsense. He left behind the wealth and prestige of the House of Black, and Jamie's parents took him in. He'd never been a part of a real loving family until he met Jamie. Jamie was his brother, in the same way Jake was mine. No. My dad would not betray him after my "death". If anything, he'd become reckless in his attempts to keep Jamie and his family safe.

This revelation brought on even greater emotional anguish. My Daddy was an innocent man wasting away under the worst possible conditions. The book chronicling the war also described Azkaban, Britain's wizard prison. This prison was guarded by Dementors. Apparently they are dark creatures who feed off happiness and leave the victim drowning in a pit of despair. This is where my father was? I couldn't hold back the tears at the thought. My playful loving Padfoot was stuck in a cell all by himself, believing that his daughter and best friend were dead while the rest of his friends and loved ones believed him to be a raving murderous traitor.

The worst part was that there was nothing I could do about it. I had no proof that Peter was the real traitor. He could be anywhere. He could be dead. It had been seven years; there was just no telling. As I packed my trunk and prepared to leave for school, I mentally resigned myself to this fact. I was an eleven year old kid, and dozens of people believed they witnessed my father murder thirteen people. Well, twelve people and a one rat.

I considered telling Sandy my thoughts on the matter and seeing if there was any way that I could visit him. I wanted him to know that I wasn't dead. I wanted him to know that I loved him, and believed in his innocence. After considering this option, I realized that I would be doing more harm than good. If I told him I was alive, it would make him happy. This would give the Dementors something to feed on. As it stood, he didn't really have any happiness to spare for them. This lack of hope may actually help him keep his sanity while he's there. The only way I could truly help my father was to prove his innocence. Anything less than that, I would only be hurting him.

This realization left me standing in front of my full length mirror observing myself in my new school uniform. I was wearing a gray pleated skirt with stockings and black Mary Jane's on the lower half of my body. On the top half I had a white button up shirt with a red tie and jumper over top. The emblem on the left breast of the jumper showed a combination of a cauldron, witches hat and broom. Under the emblem it read "Salem Institute for Witches." The outfit was completed with a standard black robe.

At first I was skeptical about the ensemble, but it really wasn't so bad. It wasn't uncomfortably warm like I'd originally expected. I actually quite enjoyed it, as it made me feel like a real witch. I then took in the rest of my features trying to find any similarities that might make me feel closer to my dad. The most obvious was my eyes. They were a piercing grey, just like his. I assumed that my hair was my mom's. Dad had dark black hair, whereas my hair was more mahogany with streaks of red in the right light. I had high aristocratic cheek bones like him, but our faces were shaped a bit different. Mine was more heart shaped where his was more oval. I had no idea what my mom looked like, but judging by the similarities versus differences with my dad, I'd say I was a pretty even mix between the two.

As I stared into the grey eyes that were so similar to my dad's, my resolve solidified. I would enjoy my time in Salem for the next seven years. I would learn everything I could and become the strongest witch I was capable of being. I vowed to be top of my class, while also researching various methods of magical tracking.

I would also have fun. My father was a big kid, and he loved to play pranks on people whenever he could. He was mischievous and would be highly disappointed if I didn't do my share of rule breaking while attending school. I knew he would not appreciate me throwing away my years at school wallowing in depression over something outside my power to change. He'd want me to have fun. I daresay he'd demand it.

After completing my schooling, I would go back to Britain to find out what happened to Peter Pettigrew. If the little rat was still alive, I would stop at nothing to find him. I would bring the little traitor to the British Ministry and prove to them that the muggles didn't understand what they were seeing. If they were wrong about Peter being killed, they could have been wrong about who cast the curse. By Merlin, I was getting my father out of that hell hole if it was the last thing I ever did.

Nodding to myself in the mirror, I gathered my belongings and made my way downstairs to say goodbye to an emotional Renee, stoic Charlie and ecstatic Jacob. They all made me promise to write, and I assured them that they would be seeing a lot of Caelen. I then released him and told him to meet me at the school, before stepping in the fireplace and stating clearly, "Salem Institute Entrance Hall." Stepping out into the school, I took a deep breath and continued on to the Dining Hall anxious to start this exciting journey.

At Salem, each year has its own floor in the dormitory building. There is a common room on each level, as well as a large congregational area on the entire ground floor. Each bedroom houses four students that will be roommates for their entire tenure at Salem. It was in my dorm room that I met the three girls that would become my sisters for life. It almost seemed predestined that we found each other. We were similar in some ways and different in others, but our personalities fit together so perfectly.

Nicole was the typical California girl. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a free spirit. She loves being outdoors and was fiercely competitive. She'd kick your ass at Quidditch (She plays beater. The girl can be brutal, I'm telling you) then hustle the hell out of you in Exploding Snap. Her favorite subject is DADA. You do not want to duel Nic when she's pissed, trust me on this one. She wasn't a tom boy, though. She still wore perfect make up and fashionable clothes, always looking her best.

Harley was from Kentucky. She is tall with curly brown hair and brown eyes. Her parents own a farm, and she'd been helping them with the crops and animals for as long as she could remember. She also enjoys the outdoors, and plays Chaser for her Quidditch team. She's obsessed with Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. It's insane. The girl is like a frickin Hippogriff whisperer. She could probably stop a werewolf from attacking by looking into its eyes, firmly saying "No," while lightly rapping its nose.

Samantha was from New York. She is short with straight dark hair and brown eyes. She's the artsy type. Her parents sent her to a performing arts school before she found out she was a witch. She is a really talented singer and loves creating music. She didn't play Quidditch, but she was always there to cheer the rest of us on when we played, while we were always there to cheer on her concerts and plays. Her favorite subject is Charms. It's really amazing what a skilled witch with an ear for music can create.

As for me, I was a Chaser. Unfortunately none of us had made the same team. At Salem, there are four Quidditch teams. At the beginning of the year, the returning players from each team choose a captain. After the tryouts, the captains get together and hold a draft to fill their remaining spots. The three of us were all chosen by different teams in our second year. If you think that Nicole goes easy on me and Harley because we're like her sisters, you'd be sadly mistaken. Like I said, the girl is competitive. At the end of the day, though, we're friends first. We do what we have to on the field, but that's where we leave it. As far as classes, I am the biggest nerd of them all. I enjoy pretty much all subjects. My favorites, however, are Transfiguration and Potions, which is taught by Sandy.

Over the course of my first through fifth years, the girls and I had become a bit infamous around the school. We were all undeniably intelligent, leading the pack in all of our classes. We were also known for creating a bit of havoc. Honestly, it's just that we were too curious for own good. We especially liked giving the caretaker a hard time. He was a mean old prick who was always trying to get us in trouble. Because of this we gave him more trouble than he could handle.

We also took it upon ourselves do deal with those bully types I mentioned earlier in my tale. You see, while there weren't any students at Salem that bullied people because of their blood status, there were still those overly privileged kids that bullied people simply because they could. Mostly it was the girls from less affluent families, or "nerdy" girls who only cared about their education that got bullied. I think that some of the girls who spent all their time studying would have resented us because of our grades if we weren't always pranking their tormentors.

By our second year, the other students started calling us the Scheming Skirts. We thought it was pretty funny, so we kept the name. Also during our second year I'd decided to tell the girls about my true identity. They were always asking me why I was so intrested tracking methods and scrying. We had become so close that I couldn't stand to lie to them. Nic was the only one who already knew the stories about Sirius Black and the war against Voldemort. She was a pureblood, so she'd grown up knowing about the evil bastard. Harley and Sammie are both muggle borns, and they had never heard of Voldemort or my dad.

I told them that my father's name was Sirius Black and everything he was accused of. I also told them that I believed him to be innocent. Nic was surprised that I believed him to be innocent. I could tell she was skeptical. However, after explaining my reasoning and that in my heart I KNEW my father was incapable of committing the horrid crimes for which he was accused, she supported me. The three of them told me that I was no longer the only person to believe that Sirius Black was innocent. They also told me that they'd help me research tracking methods, and join me on my journey to search for Peter. We then had a terribly girly moment where we shared a teary group hug.

Over the rest of that year, I told them everything I knew about my dad. I told them that he was an illegal animagus, as were James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. They thought it was a brilliant idea, and our project for our third year was to follow in the Marauder's footsteps by becoming animagi. We spent all of our third year, and the first quarter of our fourth year studying the transformation process and preparing for our attempts to complete it.

By the middle of our fourth year, we had all managed the transformation. Sammie became a white fox, Nic became a mountain lion, Harley became a hummingbird, and I became a chocolate lab. We were all immensely happy with our transformations. The variety was also great for the dynamic of our group. Harley being the hummingbird made it easy for her spy on our nemesis. Sammie was small and quick enough to not to draw attention, but large enough that she could sneak around and take things, or drop things off as needed. While she did that, I could distract the humans by being an adorable chocolate lab that they just had to play with. When we needed protection or to scare someone, Nic was there as a mountain lion to get the job done. By the time we could all transform, we were unstoppable.

By our fifth year, we unquestionably ruled the school. We had also made a lot of progress in our research of ways to locate Peter. The end of that year was very stressful, as we had to sit for our OWLs. We wanted to make sure that we were well prepared for the exams, and that we had learned everything we could. We approached our studying from the stand point that we didn't know what we'd face on our search for Peter. We might have to fight for our lives, and we wanted to be fully armed. After all our careful preparations, the tests were almost embarrassingly easy. We left school that year with promises to owl and well wishes for a kick ass summer.

The four of us didn't spend that much time together over the summers. We were all very close with our families, and used the summer months to renew the bonds that are weakened by nine months of separation throughout the year. Renee and Phil had gotten married the summer after my first year, so he was allowed to be told of my magic. He was very supportive, and I was able to spend my summers going back and forth between Forks and Phoenix. It was a tradition every summer for Charlie and Jake to floo to Phoenix the day I returned home. The four of them would then sit in rapt attention while I'd demonstrate all the spells and charms I'd learned that year.

We would also go to a lot of Quidditch games every summer. Charlie, Phil and Jake were all fanatics. They subscribed to wizard sporting magazines and kept up with the sport year round. Once or twice a summer the Skirts and some of our other friends from school would meet at Harley's house in the country and have a match so our families could see us play. The summer before my sixth year was one of the best I'd had so far. On my birthday, my friends met me and my family at Harley's house, and we had a barbecue, played muggle kickball, and then some of my friends presented me with the most brilliant magical fireworks I'd ever seen.

When I got back to school to start my sixth year, everyone seemed a bit off. All the little cliques had their heads together and were whispering back and forth. The Skirts and I had no idea what was going on. None of us had really paid attention to the news on our vacation. We approached some of our other friends to see what was going on. They just shoved a newspaper in my hands. On the front page was my father's mug shot. I couldn't tear my eyes from the picture to find out what the article was saying. I just kept seeing my father in agony, holding up his prison number while screaming to the people around him.

My friends quickly steered me away from the crowds, as my reaction was drawing attention. I was so afraid that the paper was going to say that my father was dead. He couldn't be dead! Please, Merlin let him be alive! I looked to Nic who was reading the article and when her eyes met mine they were alight with glee. She turned the paper back around so that I could see his face again and said the words that made my heart fill with joy and relief, "Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban."

You'd think we just caught sight of Robert Pattinson by the way we all squealed like little fan girls. We were jumping up and down as I snatched the paper and skimmed the article, while questioning, "Do they know how he did it?"

"Nope," Nicole said. "Your dad is bad ass. No one has ever escaped from there before. The man put the slip on hundreds of Dementors, Bella. And without a wand! He's totally my new hero." After Nic's declaration, we heard a throat clear behind us. The four of us immediately froze and let out mental curses that would make a sailor blush.

How could we have been so indiscreet? They'd all known how much it hurt me to know that my dad was locked in that horrible place. The news that he'd broken free got us so excited that we forgot we weren't supposed to be happy that a mass murderer was on the loose. It was a rookie mistake, and we were all ashamed of ourselves. We knew the school knew the truth about me. Of course they'd be watching for my reaction. I imagine they thought that if I had figured out Sirius was my father that I'd be scared witless right now. I doubt they thought they'd see their four brightest students jumping up and down at the news. Now we'd shown our whole hand.

Luckily for us, Sandy was he only one who saw it. I would have laughed out loud at the look on her face if I weren't frozen in place and unable to move a single muscle. I didn't know how she would take what she'd witnessed. She told us we needed to talk, and we followed her to her office. After she closed the door she placed a silencing spell around the room so no one would be able to hear our conversation. For a few agonizingly long minutes she just stared at us. Then she looked at me and said, "What the _hell_ was that about?"

I fidgeted in my seat and thought about how much I wanted to tell her. I finally decided that I could tell her everything as she already knew that I was the presumed dead Isabella Black, and hadn't told anyone. I pulled out the money pouch she'd given me so long ago. I had long figured out how to send things to my vault through the pouch. I sent the letter that Regulus left me to my vault for safe keeping after I showed it to the Skirts in my second year. I put my hand in the pouch while thinking that I needed the letter, and it materialized in my hands. I unfolded it and passed it to Sandy telling her that I'd received it a week before coming to Salem.

Her face betrayed her emotions as she read, starting with shock and ending in horror. After finishing the letter, she brought her head back up and her wide eyes met mine. "You've known about this for the last five years," she'd asked. I admitted that I had, and that I knew that the scholarship was bogus. She looked a little guilty at that, but I told her I appreciated her attempt to protect me. I told her about everything that happened after I found out the truth. I explained that Peter was an illegal animagus, and that I had seen him transform with my own two eyes. I left out the fact that my dad was also an animagus, as the secret will help him while he's on the run.

Sandy had a very difficult time believing there was even a small chance that Sirius could be innocent. In the end, she conceded that my version was just as plausible as the one widely believed to be true. I knew she still remained unconvinced. It didn't really bother me. I honestly never thought anyone would believe me until I could produce Peter. It was a testament to our friendship that the Skirts believed me with little fuss.

However, Sandy was adamant that I continue to keep my identity concealed. She didn't want to give Sirius Black any reason to show up in Salem. She needn't worry, as I had no intention of blabbing my secret just yet. Truth be told, the girls and I didn't think that Voldemort was really dead. We have done a ton of research on the psycho over the last few years, and the man was obsessed with the Dark Arts. I have no doubt that there are Dark rituals that could tie a person to this realm, and the details of the night he was vanquished are sketchy at best. There wasn't even a body, not even a finger. They only found his robes.

If there is a way for him to return to power, I want him to continue thinking I'm dead. I'm not sure that he'd still have the same obsession with me that Regulus claimed he'd had before, but it's not really a risk I'm keen on taking. I told Sandy as much, and the girls all nodded in agreement. I think that Sandy was vacillating between being frightened that we were right or worried that we needed to be committed. In the end she let us leave with a warning about cheering Sirius on in the middle of the hallways.

The next few months were indescribably difficult. My dad's escape remained a hot conversation topic as he'd been sighted near Hogwarts a few times. Everyone seemed to think he was going after Harry. I would laugh out loud if their accusations didn't enrage me to the point of near stroke. My dad would NEVER hurt Harry. There's got be something else that he's after. Something specific. I could only think of one thing that he could possibly be after, and that was Peter.

When the story broke that Dad had actually broken into the school, the wizarding world was in an uproar. Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the most secure magical buildings in the entire world. The Skirts and I figured that he probably broke in as Padfoot. They agreed that it was likely that he had found Peter. I hope that he has the presence of mind to make sure Peter is seen before he kills him, if that's what he's after. If he was proven innocent of those crimes all those years ago, I could contact him. Tell him I'm alive. Oh, I hope he gets the little rat.

However, the gossip about the drama over in Britain started getting to a point that was pushing me over the edge. People were talking about how he was being reckless, and that he would eventually be caught. It scared me. If the Dementors got their disgusting fleshy hands on him they wouldn't hesitate to administer the kiss. The worry was making me go insane, and everyone opining on how no one has ever deserved the kiss more than Sirius Black was about to turn _me_ into a raving murderous psycho.

As the Christmas holidays approached, I realized that it wasn't healthy for me to be at Salem anymore. I was slowly unraveling, and my friends were following my lead. Of course they were worried about my dad, but they were even more worried about me. I wasn't eating, and barely sleeping. I needed to get away from this place. If I didn't, I would surely end up snapping and telling everyone to shut the fuck up about my father.

That wouldn't help him right now. If he found out I was alive he would come to me. I know he would. He truly would get reckless, making himself easy prey for the Dementors. I needed to have faith in him. I needed to believe that he would accomplish whatever he was trying to do, and that he would clear his name. I had to believe that, and I couldn't do it in the wizarding world. I had to go back to the muggle world, at least for a little while.

Sandy had understood how hard it was for me to listen to all the negative talk about my dad, so she allowed me to study the remaining curriculum of my sixth year from home. I planned to return to Salem for my seventh year, hoping that Sirius would either be free or old news by then. The Skirts were going to keep a close eye on the situation and alert me if there was anything I needed to know.

I decided to move in with Charlie and enroll at Forks High School. Phil got signed to the Jacksonville Suns, a double A minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, FL, and he and Renee had just moved there. I knew Renee was looking forward to traveling with him, so I didn't want to disturb their plans. I also knew that Charlie wouldn't pester me to death about my decision to take the last half of the school year off.

So, those are the events that led me to this point, where at sixteen years old I've temporarily left the wizarding world to attend muggle high school. I'm a bit nervous, as I have been pretty out of touch with muggle goings on in the last five and a half years. Not only that, but I'm going from a school where I was well known and liked to a place where I am an outsider. Who knows, maybe this will be the start of a great new adventure. If not, I'll just have to make my own fun along the way. Forks High, I hope you're ready.

A/N:

Thank you to Writers Of The Gods, Rituxa, symmasters, MoreRandomThanYouWouldBelieve, Sweetie7smiled, and vivx-chan for your reviews. I really appreciate them!

Okay, so there you have a synopsis of Bella's school years, and the events that led her to Forks High and Edward. I will probably only spend one chapter on Bella's time with the Cullens before Edward leaves, because I'm sure you all know what happens in Twilight and New Moon. There will be tweaks because Bella is a witch, of course, and that will be what I focus on. I really like they original romance of the story, though, so I don't want to change too much. They will then be returning to the story a few chapters later.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you! Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Today is my first day at Forks High. I am not going to know anyone there. I have never gone to school in Forks, and Jake goes to school on the reservation. That's why I am now standing in front of the bathroom mirror giving myself a pep talk. "You can do this, Bella. You're a powerful witch, damnit! Just be yourself, and if they don't like you, prank 'em." Yes. It will be okay. Deep breaths.

I had a lot of time to myself over the Christmas holidays. Charlie was working, and Jake was MIA. He had become really tight with some boys at the reservation, and he never really had time to spend with me. I spent most of my time shopping at the clothing stores in Port Angeles and studying up on muggle pop culture so that I wouldn't draw too much attention to myself. The last thing I wanted to do was be the center of attention. I didn't mind at Salem, as I had the Skirts and was comfortable in my magical abilities. I wasn't so confident in the muggle world. So today I was wearing skinny jeans, a purple plaid button up with purple chucks instead of my skirt, oxford shirt and outer robe. I wore my hair down so that I could shield myself if need be.

After gathering the courage to head to the dreaded institution, I walked out to my truck. Charlie insisted in buying me this red beat up Chevy behemoth. I actually really love the thing; I just didn't want Charlie spending his money on me. But I'd never told Charlie or Renee that I was the only living free member of the House of Black, so they didn't know I was loaded. I didn't want them to worry about me, and if they were to find out my family history, they'd definitely worry. Both of them receive the American Herald, which was the US's main wizarding newspaper, so they know what's going on in my world. They'd have a stroke if they knew I was the presumed dead daughter of escaped murderer Sirius Black.

I pulled into the school and made my way to the office to get my schedule. There was a plump redheaded woman behind a desk with a nameplate that read Mrs. Cope. When she looked up to see me, her face lit up in a friendly smile. "You must be Isabella! We're so happy you to have you here, dear."

I returned her smile. "Thank you, ma'am, I'm happy to be here. Please, call me Bella."

She seemed a little surprised by my response. "Oh, you're so polite, dear. Here, let me get your schedule."

After giving me my schedule and a map of the school, she explained that I needed to have my welcome slip signed by all my teachers and return it at the end of the day. I wished her a good day and told her I'd see her in the afternoon.

I looked over the map and found the best way to make it to my first class, which was Calculus. I went back to my truck, and moved it to the student parking. I didn't want to be the first person in class, so I decided to do some Occlumency exercises. The Skirts and I all decided to start studying Occlumency after we completed our animal transformations. We had read that Voldemort is a master Legilimens, and wanted to make sure we were safe from mental attacks if we came across him or any other Legilimens while searching for Peter.

I turned out to be a natural. My walls were impenetrable even with advanced Legilimency attacks. I still did the exercises, though. They help me relax and calm my mind. It's almost like meditating, really. After about ten minutes I headed to class feeling a lot less ruffled.

Calculus was…boring. It turns out, next to Arithmancy, Calculus is child's play. The other classes were pretty easy too, and my day was flying by. It was now lunch time, and a girl named Jessica, who had latched on to me in Calculus, was leading me toward the lunch room. After going through the line we sat down with her other friends. There was a blonde girl named Lauren Mallory who looked rather miffed that I had been invited to her table sitting next to a girl named Angela Webber who was a bit more welcoming.

There were also three boys talking amongst themselves who were introduced as Mike, Eric and Tyler. They were looking at me funny, and I didn't really like it. I had gone to an all girl school for the last five and a half years, and I wasn't quite sure how to take their attention. Maybe they would send those looks elsewhere if I told them my father broke out of prison after being accused of killing thirteen people. I let out a mental snort as I imagined their reactions.

Lauren and Jessica were giving me a run down of everyone at the school. Translation: They were being catty bitches. I was having a really hard time biting my tongue, but I didn't want to start trouble on my first day of school. I was just thinking about all the different potions I could slip into their drinks when the opening cafeteria door caught my attention.

I am definitely going to have to send this memory to the Skirts so they can entertain themselves laughing at the expression I am undoubtedly wearing right now. Why the hell did two vampires just walk through the door? And Merlin's saggy left _nut,_ there are three more behind them! Five vampires in muggle high school? I was suddenly very nervous. Vampires are no joke. They are extremely dangerous. There is only one magical way to harm a vampire, and that is with Fiendfyre. It's a cursed fire that never goes out. It's very dangerous, and if you are unskilled, the Fiendfyre will end up killing you if the vampire doesn't.

Vampires aren't supposed to know about the wizarding world, but I had met one before. As a human, his sister was a witch, so he already knew about magic. His sister had placed the same charm on him that Sandy placed on Jake, disallowing him to speak of the magical world with someone who wasn't already aware. The charm also keeps the knowledge hidden in your mind, so it can't be accessed by a mind reader (Sandy had told me that part of the charm would be particularly important for Jacob, but she wouldn't tell me why). The charm had stayed with him during his transformation, so he was able to keep our secret safe.

His name was Eleazar, and I met him at a death party for one of the Salem ghosts in my third year. He knew Bridgett before she was hung for witchcraft back in the 1600's. The muggles had caught her without her wand, leaving her defenseless. She's still pretty bitter about it.

We had a long conversation at the party; I found him fascinating. He told me he didn't drink human blood, and that he and his family referred to themselves as vegetarians. Har Har. He informed me that the animal blood causes his eyes to be gold instead of red. Neat. He was only aware of one other coven of vegetarians. They were led by Carlisle Cullen who is actually a human doctor. That news had floored me. In DADA we learned that vampires have uncontrollable blood lust. Eleazar explained that if the vampire is dedicated to the preservation of human life, he can get his blood lust under control. I thought that the choice was very admirable, and I told him so. We've been friends ever since. Thankfully, Caelen is brave enough to deliver him my letters.

These five must be a part of the Cullen coven. Jessica noticed where my attention was directed and interrupted my thoughts. "Those are the Cullens." No shit. "They're Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids." She went on to tell me how strange it was that they all dated each other. "I mean, they live together. It's weird." Yeah, they also suck blood together. What's your point, Jessica?

My eyes were drawn to the only non-mated vampire of the group. He was…smexy. He had bronze sex hair, a strong jaw, and angular cheeks. He was a god among men. They all were, really. It's a characteristic of their species. I couldn't help but admire his beauty anyway. He turned toward me and our eyes met for the briefest of moments before he looked away. Shit. I'd been caught blatantly ogling a vampire. Double shit. His eyes were completely black. He was thirsty. I glanced at the others. Triple shit. They were ALL thirsty. They had to have been denying themselves blood for at least two weeks for their eyes to become completely black and the purple bruises under their eyes to be so noticeable. Why would they surround themselves with humans if they hadn't fed in two weeks?

I should really look away, but I can't seem to convince the muscles in my neck to turn my head in the other direction. Come on, Bella. Look away. He can see you staring at him in his peripheral, Bella; LOOK AWAY! I finally chastised myself harshly enough to provoke action, and turned my head back to Jessica.

"That's Edward Cullen. He's gorgeous, of course." Of course. "But he doesn't date. Like, ever. I guess none of the girls here are good enough for him." I felt the corners of my lips twitch. Damnit Bella, do not laugh in Jessica's face because the vampire turned her down! Oh if only you knew the truth, honey. I allowed myself some inner giggles.

I breathed a sigh of relief when lunch was over. I wasn't sure I could take much more of the Lauren and Jessica show. Mike had biology with me, so he walked me to class. We were the last to arrive, and on my way to get my slip signed I noticed that the only seat left open was next to Angel. Oh who am I kidding? David Boreanaz has nothing on Edward Cullen.

He became incredibly tense when I sat down at the desk. One hand was in a tight fist and the other was covering his mouth and nose. He had completely stopped breathing. He moved his seat as far away from me as possible and then leaned his body even further. Every muscle in his body tightly tensed, like he was holding himself back. From me. What are we up to now? Quadruple shit? He is having a reaction to my blood. We read about this. La Tua Cantante. I'm his freaking singer! Isn't this just a peachy situation? I'm sitting three feet away from a thirsty vampire for whom my blood sings. Luckily for me, and everyone else in this room, I'm a witch who's efficient with wandless magic.

I took a few deep breaths, feeling the magic running through my veins. Gathering the magical energy inside my body, I focused on creating a vampire proof shield around me and the other humans in the room. Using all my concentration, I set the shields in place so they would stay up. The shields sat just above the skin, and would prevent any vampire from touching our persons. Now that they were set, they would only take a minimal amount of concentration to uphold. We should be safe for the rest of the class.

For the remainder of the period, I used my hair to create a curtain between my person and the hostile vampire to my left. At the end of class, he was up and making his way to the door before the bell finished ringing. Yeah, why don't you go take a breather, Edward? You earned it. I know that it had to be very painful for him to sit next to me, especially since he was already thirsty. I was very impressed with him for keeping his base instincts under control for the entire agonizing hour.

My last class was gym. While I rather enjoy most sports, I decided to play the athletically challenged so Coach Clapp wouldn't try to strong arm me into joining a team. I wasn't looking to entrench myself too deeply in the school. It was actually pretty entertaining. We were playing volleyball, so I purposefully missed almost every shot. When I let myself actually make contact, I would try to pelt unsuspecting passersby. I got Mike smack in the back of the head once. It was awesome!

After gym, I made my way to the office to turn in my signed slip. Edward was there speaking quietly with Mrs. Cope. I stayed as far from him as I could and tried not to smell. I wasn't purposefully listening to their conversation, but it was a small room. He was trying to transfer out of Biology. Intellectually I knew that this was the best course of action. I made him even more dangerous than he already was. It still hurt my feelings a bit.

Mrs. Cope was essentially shutting him down, and I could see that he was getting frustrated. A few seconds later a girl entered the office bringing a breeze with her. I scowled at her. Can't she _see_ I'm trying not to smell over here! She just blew my scent right at him! His entire body went rigid in the next moment, and he told Mrs. Cope, "Fine. I'll just have to bear it." He then turned around and sent me a glare before stalking gracefully out the door.

Edward didn't show up the rest of the week. I had sent Eleazar a letter that afternoon telling him what happened. He too was very surprised that Edward was able to keep the composure that he did. He was very proud of him, as the control he showed was a huge accomplishment. I agreed. Edward didn't. Apparently, after leaving school Monday afternoon, Edward drove to Alaska to both get away from me and drown himself in self loathing. Edward, the multitasker. Who knew?

At the time Eleazar wrote the letter, he was unsure when or even if Edward would return to Forks. He didn't trust himself to be in the same town as me. He was afraid he'd break down and come after me. And Jessica said he didn't notice girls. Too bad he only noticed me because he wants to eat me. Le sigh.

I was beginning to think I'd never see Edward again when I walked into Biology the next Monday to see the bronze haired god sitting in the seat next to mine. I approached him with caution, like a wild animal that could snap at any moment. He seemed more relaxed today, and his eyes were a warm golden color. Bella, don't you dare swoon over a vampire! Gah, it was just so hard! He's so beautiful!

After my initial glance I settled into my seat like he wasn't even there. I did not want him to know he was affecting me. As I sat in my seat determinably staring straight ahead I heard the most wonderful musical voice. Oh Lord. It's an angel. Somehow Edward got past the shield I'd put up upon seeing him and killed me in the middle of the biology classroom. After a few seconds of contemplating my death, my brain decided to process the words spoken by the angelic voice. "Hello. I'm Edward Cullen. I don't believe we've been introduced. You're Bella Swan?" Edward is the angel? Surely not.

I turned toward him and sure enough, he was waiting expectantly for some type of acknowledgement. "Er, yes," was my brilliant response. Merlin, Bella, insert mental face palm here. It's not fair. How is anyone supposed to have an intelligent conversation with the handsome bronze haired Adonis with the hypnotizing angel voice? Even without the sharp teeth, this creature is lethal. The absence of all brain activity should be enough proof of this. He killed my brain!

Mr. Banner started the lesson, and I kept my eyes forward the entire time. However, in my peripheral I could see Edward staring at me intensely. Was he picturing me looking like a giant juicy steak? Sweet Circe, I hope not. Apparently Mr. Banner was unconcerned about my safety, and assigned a lab for the last half of the class. I'm sure you can imagine how it went. Needless to say, the mythical creature to my left also believed that he killed my brain. He didn't trust any of my answers.

After completing the lab, Edward tried to make polite conversation. He asked me if I was upset that the snow melted, and I told him I didn't really care. It's cold and wet; what's to like? He then asked, "If you don't like the wet, why did you move to the rainiest region of the Pacific Northwest?" It almost sounded like an accusation, like I'd purposefully shown up in his town to ruin his perfect control. Whatever. I told him it was complicated. He kept pushing so I told him about why I didn't want to move to Florida. The bell rang shortly after, and he was up and out the door before I'd finished packing up.

The next morning the previous day's melted snow had turned into dangerous sheets of ice. I wasn't worried. It would take more than a car crash to take me out. I was still cautious, though. I didn't want to crash into someone who couldn't protect themselves with magic. I noticed that my truck was handling surprisingly well in these conditions, and when I got out I saw that Charlie had put chains on my tires before he left for the station. It made me uncharacteristically emotional. I was so lucky to have Charlie in my life. He is such a good father. I glanced up and noticed Edward across the lot staring at me. Ugh, does he want me to just go ahead and sit on a giant paper plate and serve myself up to him, or what?

I looked back to the tires and sent a mental thank you to whatever gods were listening for bringing Charlie into my life. I was interrupted from my reverie by squealing tires. Oh for _Merlin's_ _sake,_ Tyler! He recklessly turned into the parking lot driving way too fast for conditions, and lost control of his van. It was now careening right for me. Does he have _any_ idea how much grief this is going to cause me? I'm going to have to use magic in front of muggles AND vampires! Ugh, I'm going to have to inform the ministry and get obliviators out here and – "Oomph!"

My thoughts were cut off by a boulder slamming me to the ground. My head fell back into the concrete causing my vision to swim. As I blinked the tears from my eyes, the boulder began to take shape. It was Edward. He held one arm around me and the other up to stop the van's assault. The force of the impact pushed us back into my truck and caused the van to change trajectory, making its second attempt on my life. Edward stopped it again, and kept the van from crushing my legs. I looked at Edward in astonishment. He'd just saved me soooo much paperwork! I decided to mess with him a bit.

"Where did you come from?"

I saw panic flash through his eyes, quick as lightening, before his face became completely impassive. "Bella, I was standing right next to you."

Hehe. "No you weren't. I saw you. You were by your car."

Now he was getting annoyed. "Bella, you hit your head pretty hard. You don't know what you saw."

Ah, the oldest trick in the book, my friend. Too bad I already know your secret, so you'll never convince me I'm crazy. "Yes I do. You were on the other side of the parking lot. And then you stopped the van. With your hand. I saw you."

Yep, he was definitely annoyed now. I mentally snickered. "Yeah, well, no one's going to believe you."

No worries, Edward. I have mad secret keeping skills. "I wasn't going to tell anyone."

We came back to reality in the next moment. The teachers were telling us to stay calm, while the students were carrying on like they were the ones trapped between a van and a truck with a vampire who's specially attuned to their blood. Drama queens, the lot of them.

An ambulance had arrived while they were working on getting the van moved out of the way. When we were finally able to leave our hidey hole, Edward insisted that I be put on a stretcher and observed for my worrisome head injury. The stupid, self serving, beautiful, sexy vampire was trying to convince everyone I was delusional! Ugh, now I'm going to be stuck on this stupid stretcher and treated like a china doll. Damnit, I'd rather deal with the aurors!

As they were loading me into the ambulance, Charlie showed up looking frantic. I assured him that I was fine and that the EMT's were escorting me to the hospital against my will. He took their side, the traitor. Wizards really shouldn't go to muggle hospitals. Our magic does funny things to the machinery. However, I could use the same method of controlling my magic to save the electronics that I used to save me and my Biology class from the blood thirsty vampire. I just had to concentrate on the magic in my body. I pulled it into the center of my body, around my diaphragm, and imagined encasing it in a protective ball. Again, once I set the ball, it would take minimal concentration to maintain it.

The nurses forced me to take an X-ray of my head, and then left me to wait in a room with a few beds. Tyler was eventually put on another bed and he wouldn't shut up about how sorry he was. I told him it turned out fine this time, but that he should really be more responsible. He could have killed someone. Edward came into to check on me and I scowled at him. I was perfectly fine and he knew it!

A few minutes later, Daddy Cullen came in. He was also very handsome. He had blond hair, golden eyes and gentle hands. I nearly moaned in pleasure when he was checking my head for bumps. You can massage my scalp anytime, Dr. C. He showed me the X-ray and assured me I was fine. "You got very lucky," he said.

"Lucky that Edward was standing right next to me," I said while sending Edward my best glare.

"Oh, well yes," was Dr. Cullen's response.

As soon as Dr. Cullen gave me the green light, I was running after Edward. It was time for some payback. "Hey Edward, can I talk to you?"

"What do you want?" Whoa, hostile Edward was back.

"I just want to know what happened. How did you get to me so fast?"

"Bella, you hit your head. You don't know what you're talking about. I was standing right next to you, and I pulled you down. I saved your life." Insert mental snort here. I so had it covered. "I don't owe you anything." He then turned around and stalked off.

"I'm going to figure it out," I called after him.

I was rewarded with a scowl. "I hope you enjoy disappointment." Well. Isn't he just a ball of sunshine this morning?

For the next month, Edward completely ignored me. I tried to talk to him that first day back in Biology, but was denied. I was also getting annoyed with just about everyone else at Forks High. My biggest issue was with one Lauren Mallory. I tried to ignore her for the most part, but one day she went too far. There was a girl in our grade named Sarah. She lived in a foster home with a woman who clearly viewed her wards as nothing but paychecks. She had ill fitting hand-me-down clothes and her hair was in dire need of a haircut. She was also incredibly intelligent and witty, if a bit socially awkward. She and I had become pretty good friends. I tried to subtly help her out, but she wouldn't hear of it. She said she wanted to be my friend, not my charity case. I tried to tell her that friends help each other, but she refused.

The day Lauren stepped over the line, Sarah, Angela and I were sitting at a table behind her. Lauren started telling everyone at their table about how Sarah's parents were crazy, and that they just abandoned her at the mall. I wasn't sure if it was true, but the look on Sarah's face made me believe Lauren wasn't too far off. She then started talking about how crazy runs in families and that we should all watch our backs around Sarah. "She's probably got some shrine to all of us in the bedroom she shares with the dozen other little rejects in that house." Oh. Hell. No. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we turned on the news in a few years and saw that she'd massacred an entire street." Well, that's pretty spot on for one of my triggers, Lauren.

I placed a quick Notice-Me-Not around us, followed by a Muffliato so that the vampires wouldn't notice that they didn't hear us. You see, the only spell you can use against a vampire is Fiendfyre. However, you can place charms on yourself, which then affect the vampire. Because the Notice-Me-Not and Muffliatos were placed on the three of us, the vampires suddenly lost interest in us and didn't notice that they couldn't hear our conversation.

I then turned to Sarah, who now had her head bowed with silent tears streaming down her cheeks. I leaned over and whispered in her ear. "She doesn't know a thing about, crazy, Sarah. I say we make her think _she's_ crazy. Then maybe she'll know it when she sees it."

She raised her eyes to meet mine and offered a weak smile. "How do we do that?"

"Oh, I've got some ideas. We must be subtle, though. That's the key." I spent the rest of the lunch explaining my ideas and brainstorming with Angela and Sarah. By the end of the period, Operation: Make Lauren Mad was officially on.

During gym that afternoon I placed a Notice-Me-Not charm over myself and sneaked away while we were running the mile. I jogged over to Lauren's car and opened the door with a simple Alohamora. Then...I hotwired it. I learned how to hotwire a car when I was very young. Not to steal them, mind you, but because Renee lost her keys every other day. I learned out of necessity. The knowledge was coming in handy today. It takes very complex magic to control muggle technology. I didn't have that kind of time, so the old fashioned way had to suffice. I put the wires back, good as new and moved Lauren's car to the other side of the lot. I then seamlessly rejoined the class like I was never gone.

The three of us hid in the bushes (for future reference, every time I don't want us to be noticed, you can assume I've put the charm up) and watched as Lauren made her way to her parking space. When she got to the spot where she parks her car every day, she was most surprised to see it wasn't there. She turned circles in the spot before noticing her car on the other end of the lot. She looked confused and shook her head before making her way over to her car, while the three of us tried to hold in our giggles.

Over the next few weeks it was much of the same. Every few days I'd move her car. I also told the girls that I was an expert at forgeries. I would write out an extra homework assignment with very random, and many times embarrassing answers. I would then use a spell to change my handwriting to hers. We each sat in positions that gave us the opportunity to switch out the assignments in at least one class. We didn't do it often, or on enough questions to really affect her grade. It just really confused her when she got her homework back. One time the teacher asked her to explain an answer. It was _very _difficult to keep a straight face when she read over the answer in her own handwriting looking completely dumbfounded.

Angela had seen her enter her e-mail password, so we had some fun there, too. Sometimes we would just open them, so she would see that it had been opened without remembering that she'd read it. Sometimes we would respond. The responses were always normal, but of course she never remembered writing them.

One time, I read an e-mail from her mother ordering her to do her laundry over the weekend. She had plans with Jessica on Sunday afternoon, so I figured she would be doing it on Saturday. Her parents were out of town, and weren't returning until early evening. I broke in and found her clothes neatly folded in a basket on her bed. I dumped them all out and placed a charm to make them smell stale and unwashed. Then I placed them back in her hamper and put the basket back in the laundry room. I really wanted to see her private reaction, so I took a chance and disillusioned myself. When she came into her room, she glanced at her bed and then did a double take with wide eyes. "What the fuck!" Oh, this was funny. I'm glad I placed a silencing spell on myself. "I _know _I did my laundry! What the hell is wrong with me? I'm losing my _mind!"_ Yes, yes you are. As soon as she dragged her hamper back down the steps I apperated home with a faint pop.

Then there was her locker tampering. Lauren always brought her lunch, so sometimes Angela or I would make a sandwich, and then one of us would break into her locker and switch them out. We'd do the same thing with gym clothes. Sarah hit the jackpot one time when she went to make a clothing switch. Lauren had left her cell phone in her locker. She sent a text to Mike asking him to the girl's choice dance, knowing that Jessica was going to ask him later that week. The fallout of that beauty was total win.

As the dance drew near, Lauren wasn't looking so good. Sarah decided that she'd had enough, and we decided to leave her alone. We all decided that Operation: Make Lauren Mad was a complete success.

….

The Monday before the dance Sarah, Angela and I went going to Port Angeles to find them dresses. Sarah's birthday was the Sunday after the dance, so Angela and I insisted that she let us buy her a dress and shoes for her birthday presents. She relented. That's how I knew she really wanted to go. Angela was going with her boyfriend, Ben, and Sarah was going with Ben's best friend, Chad. I had been asked by Mike, Eric and Tyler. Did they not understand the words "Girl's Choice?" I politely declined their invitations making up a prior engagement. I really didn't want to go. Muggle parties are pretty boring after experiencing magical ones.

I was sitting in the store watching them try on dresses for about an hour, and couldn't take it anymore. They hadn't even started looking at shoes or jewelry yet. I told them that I was going to head to the book store and that I'd meet them at the restaurant in an hour. I made my way to the only book store in Port Angeles. It was a bit hokey, but I found an interesting book about Quillette legends and a surprisingly accurate book about the healing properties of various plants and herbs used in potion making.

On the way back, I noticed that four men were following me. Lovely. I began to walk faster and turned a corner trying to find a busier street. Two of them broke away and now I was only being tailed by two. Somehow I'd ended up in the warehouse district. I saw the other two up ahead coming toward me. They'd boxed me in. Sigh. Using magic on muggles is so tiresome! I decided to try and make it look like I was using muggle tactics. I discreetly pulled my wand and transfigured the book I'd just bought into what looked like a taser. It wouldn't work, but I used it to hide my wand. When they attacked, I'd hit them with magic and they'd think I tased them.

As they started closing in, I crossed the street and tried to slip past them. They decided to give up the cat and mouse game and started coming for me. I planted my feet and squared my shoulders preparing to show these assholes they were messing with the wrong witch when we were all blinded by headlights. A shiny silver Volvo was speeding towards us, causing the thugs to scatter. Suddenly the car did a 180 and the passenger door flew open. "Get in." It was Edward.

**A/N:**

**Thank you to vivx-chan and Sweetie7smiled for your reviews. I really appreciated you taking the time drop me a note!**

**Okay, so I need to stop guessing how many chapters certain events will take. I don't think I've been right once. I mostly ended it here, because I am tired. :) Also, I felt that the first half of Twilight has Edward resisting Bella and the last half is more Bella and Edward centric. This is the turning point, so I decided to break it off here. I'll post the next chapter either tomorrow or Wednesday. **

**Also, you may have noticed that I've turned Jacob earlier than in the original story. Bella and Jake have a different relationship in my story than in the original. Jacob has zero romantic feelings for Bella; he views her as a sister. There's also not going to be a big vampire/wolf pack feud. We already have Voldemort as an antagonist, and I think he adds enough conflict without bringing in that extra layer.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

_Previously:_

_As they started closing in, I crossed the street and tried to slip past them. They decided to give up the cat and mouse game and started coming for me. I planted my feet and squared my shoulders preparing to show these assholes they were messing with the wrong witch when we were all blinded by headlights. A shiny silver Volvo was speeding towards us, causing the thugs to scatter. Suddenly the car did a 180 and the passenger door flew open. "Get in." It was Edward._

Chapter 8:

I didn't even hesitate. We were speeding away before I realized what I'd done. What was I thinking? I could take the muggles without even breaking a sweat! But no, I jumped into the enclosed car with the vampire chauffer. I quickly put up my shield so that I would be protected if he lost control.

After my brief mental chewing out, I turned to look at my knight in shining Volvo. Swoon. He looks so sexy when he's mad. I mean, he looks really _really_ mad. More like enraged. Furious. Irate. Livid. You get what I'm saying. The guy was pissed. If his heart was working I'd be afraid it would fail. As it stands, I'm more worried about the poor steering wheel that's about to crack under the pressure.

I decided to break the tense silence. "Are you okay?"

He let out a humorless laugh. "You're asking me if _I'm_ okay? No, Bella. I'm not okay."

"Oh," was my brilliant response. I never know quite how to take Edward. He has been very hard to read ever since the van incident. He hasn't spoken to me, but I get the feeling that he's always aware of me in a way that goes beyond me being his singer. I know I'm always aware of him. Whenever I'm near him, I feel like there's this energy that runs between us. It's both weird and wonderful.

Mike has been walking me to biology since I started at Forks High. He's recently gotten comfortable enough in our friendship to sit on the edge of my desk and chat me up before class. I get the impression that this annoys Edward. I don't know why. He certainly doesn't want to talk to me. Why should he care if Mike does? When Mike asked me to the _girl's choice_ dance, Edward's entire demeanor changed. He tensed up even more than normal and tilted his head ever so slight in my direction. I'm probably the only one who noticed the change in him. But then again, I notice _everything_ about Edward.

"I'm okay, you know. I was going to tase their asses," I held up my transfigured taser, and prayed he didn't ask for a demonstration. I had already put my wand away. I had a special holster for my wand that allowed me to draw it and put it away very discreetly. All I had to do was let go of it and automatically flew back into the holster. Once it was back in place the wand became as invisible as the holster. It was damn expensive, but I could afford it.

He looked over at me with a raised eyebrow. "It's not funny, Bella. You have no idea what those men were thinking."

I think I can take a few guesses, Edward…Wait. "And you do?" He and turned back to the windshield and continued driving us Merlin knows where.

As I thought about his wording…_You don't know what those men were thinking_…memories quickly flashed through my mind.

_I cast a finite to cancel the Notice-Me-Not and Muffliato after our conversation about how to make Lauren think she's going crazy. The girls both have huge grins on their faces, and they're undoubtedly thinking of more methods of action. I notice Edward looking at the girls with a curious expression and a slight smirk._

_A few weeks later, Edward bows his head with a big grin and shoulders shaking in mirth for no apparent reason. I turn back to Angela and see she's doing the exact same thing. "What?" I ask her. "Nothing, I was just thinking of the look on Lauren's face when Mike told her he was waiting to see if you asked him to the dance before he could accept her 'invitation'."_

I glance over to Edward and he's staring at me intensely. His eyebrows are furrowed and his face shows pure concentration. Like I'm a puzzle he can't quite figure out. It makes me uncomfortable, so I turn to away contemplating what this could mean. When I glance out the window I see Bella Italia. This is where I was supposed to meet Angela and Sarah. I didn't tell him we were meeting here.

Holy. Shit. Edward's a mind reader. He can't read my mind because of Occlumency. I'm suddenly very grateful to Voldemort for giving us the inspiration to study the practice.

I wonder if I can get him to tell me. "How did you know I was meeting Sarah and Angela here?"

His eyebrows shot up and he blinked back at me before shifting his gaze to something outside my window. I turned to see Angela and Sarah walking out of the restaurant. My door was suddenly opened and Edward gestured for me to get out of his car. I obliged and approached my worried friends. When they saw me their faces lit up.

"Bella! We were so worried! Where have you – Oh. Hi, Edward."

"Hello. I found Bella lost in the streets, and offered to bring her here. Do you all mind if I join you for dinner?" I scowled at him. Why does he always turn me into some weakling whenever he needs a convenient excuse?

Angela seemed very nervous to be conversing with the handsome boy. "Um, sure. Well – erm, we actually already ate. We were waiting for you, Bella, but they told us they had to take our order, and – "

I cut her off. "It's okay, Angela. I'm not really that hungry anyway."

"It's okay, Bella. I'll take you home. You really need to eat." I tried to be offended. I really don't need a _vampire's_ input on healthy eating habits. However, my excitement that this beautiful boy wanted to spend time with me was overshadowing my ire.

"Sure, as long as that's okay with you, Bella." Sarah, bless her. Yes, I know that he basically just ordered me to go with him. I'm not complaining.

"It's fine, guys. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Edward made sure the girl's made it safely to Angela's car before steering me toward the restaurant with a hand at the small of my back. I internally shuddered at his closeness. He smelled so lovely, and the electricity flowing between us was making me feel all happy inside.

Both the hostess and our waitress were obviously taken with Edward, and decided to ignore my existence. The waitress may as well have closed her eyes, stuck her fingers in her ears and started chanting "Na Na Na!" while I placed my order. She was staring at Edward expectantly when he said, "Nothing for me, thanks." Well, I hope not, Edward.

I decided to spend the time at the restaurant getting to know him, instead of trying to force him to try my mushroom ravioli. It turns out that we have a lot in common. We like similar music, and both love to read. We both talked a bit about our families. Everyone in his coven seemed really cool. Except maybe Rosalie. I told him as much about the Skirts and my life growing up as I could. Even though we were getting along really well, it kind of made me sad. Neither of us could be completely honest about who we were.

When I was almost finished with my meal he asked me a surprising question. "So, do you have any theories?"

"Theories about what?"

"At the hospital you told me you were going to figure me out. I just wondered if you have any theories."

"Hmm…I thought we were pretending like that never happened. At least I'm pretty sure you have spent the last month wishing it hadn't."

"What do you mean by that?" He sounded confused.

"The way you look at me sometimes. It makes me feel like you wish you would've just let the van crush me."

Okay, now he's pissed. "You're absurd."

I didn't want to argue with him. "Fine. I'm sorry I said anything. But yes, I do have some theories." While scanning through that book on Quillette legends I read about the "cold ones." Legend has it that the Quillettes are descended from shape shifting wolves capable of killing vampires. I wasn't exactly sure I believed that part. I'm pretty sure that without magic only a vampire can kill another vampire. I could tell him that I'd read the legend, though, and that there were many similarities between his family and the "cold ones".

He looked nervous. "Let's hear them."

"Not here. In the car." As soon as the sentence was out of my mouth the waitress walked up with our check. I tried to pay, but Edward snatched the ticket up before I could get my hands on it. He seemed like the old fashioned type, and Merlin only knows how old he actually is, so I let him take the check with a polite thank you.

On the way back to the car, Edward noticed me shivering. He gave me his jacket while chastising me for leaving mine in Angie's car. So worth it. I could just burrow into his jacket and stay forever. It smelled wonderful.

As soon as we made it to the highway, Edward started questioning me. I was nervous. This conversation could go many different ways. I fervently hoped that he would see that I didn't care that he was a vampire; I still wanted to be friends with him. Truthfully I wanted to be more than friends. I didn't want him to see that just yet, though. I checked my shield and let out an audible sigh.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you can read minds." He visibly relaxed. I'm not finished, Edward. "I'm also pretty sure you're a vampire."

He slammed on the brakes and pulled off the road. I mentally snorted. Some tell you've got there, Edward. Aren't vampires supposed to be stealthy? He was staring straight ahead gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it.

"Edward?"

His lips were in a tight line. He didn't look at me when he finally responded. "What brought you to that conclusion?"

"Well, a couple of things, really. You never eat or drink anything. Your skin is pale white and ice cold. The first day in class you _completely_ stopped breathing. For the entire hour. Your eyes change color. Um, then there's the whole crossing the parking lot in matter of seconds and stopping a speeding van with your bare hands thing. That was probably the most telling." Holding up the Quillette book, I added "I also read a legend in this book about the "cold ones", which were obviously vampires. You and your family have a lot of similar characteristics."

Nothing. He's still staring out the windshield. Gah, I wish I knew what he was thinking! I decided to let him know how I felt about things. "I don't care, Edward, if that's what you're worried about. I won't tell anyone, either."

That got him to react. He turned his head to me so fast I didn't even catch the movement. His face was incredulous. "You don't care? Bella, I'm a monster! How are you even sitting in this car with me right now?"

I couldn't help it. I snorted. "Edward, don't be so melodramatic. So you're a vampire. Who cares? It's a being's actions not their species that makes a person a monster. You've saved my life. Twice." He didn't technically save my life, as I didn't really need his help in either instance, but it's the intent behind the action. He thought I would die, and he'd risked exposure to save me. "You're driving me home after taking me out to dinner, Edward. If you were a monster you would have ripped my throat out a long time ago."

He grimaced. "I wanted to."

Wow, is he seriously going to be stuck as an emo teenager his whole existence? We're going to have to work on this self loathing thing he's got going on. "What's your point, Edward? I want to punch Lauren Mallory in her stupid face on a daily basis. I don't. You can't judge yourself based on your desires, Edward. Especially ones that are out of your control. Judge yourself based on your actions. That's how I've judged you. Do you know what I see?"

"No." He looked away shyly and my heart melted for him. He's so devilishly handsome, and now he's adding shy, insecure boy in to the mix. Not fair, Edward!

"I see a kind and compassionate man who is trying to do the right thing under impossible circumstances. A man who's denying his very nature to preserve human life. A man who risked exposing his secret to save a girl he barely knew. I see a tormented man, who can't look past _what_ he is to see _who_ he is. I can, though. I can see his soul, and it's beautiful."

Okay, I just really put myself out there. The words were out of my mouth before I even thought about what I was saying. They were absolutely true, though. I have been keenly aware of Edward since I first laid eyes on him. I just feel…drawn to him. When he started ignoring me, I deflected with sarcasm and nonchalance, but it did bother me. He is beautiful inside and out, and I really didn't want him to dislike me.

When he looked back toward me I could see the vulnerability in his eyes. "You really see that?"

I tentatively reached my hand to where his gripped the steering wheel. He allowed me to bring it down and hold his cold hand between my two warm ones. "Yes, Edward. There are only a few things in this world that know with absolute certainty." One, my father is innocent. Two, "You are a good man, with a beautiful soul. Of that, I have no doubts."

The change in his demeanor was staggering. His face broke into the most brilliant smile. It lit up his whole face. I couldn't help but smile just as brightly. I also _really_ wanted to kiss him. I refrained, though. You should never take a vampire by surprise, especially when you're up in his grill.

He gently squeezed my hand and pulled the car back on the road. There were a few minutes of comfortable silence before Edward started teasing me. "So, you don't punch Lauren in her face, you just move her car around the parking lot, change out her lunch and gym clothes, and hack into her e-mail to make her think she's losing her mind?"

I smirked at him. "Not anymore. Sarah issued a cease fire. She had it coming, though."

He laughed. Sigh. What a lovely sound. "That she did."

For the rest of the trip we bantered back and forth like two regular high school kids. By the time we reached Charlie's house Edward seemed like a different person. Lighter somehow. He stopped me as I was getting out of the car.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sick of trying to stay away from you."

My heart started beating double time. "Then don't." It was barely a whisper, but I knew he heard me. Merlin, when did I turn into such a sappy school girl? Oh yeah, when I met Edward Cullen.

He rewarded me with another breath taking smile. I turned to leave, but he stopped me again.

"Bella?"

I turned to him with a wry grin but immediately sobered at the serious look on his face. He hesitantly reached his hand toward my face and brushed his fingers across my cheek. His eyes were so earnest as they stared into mine.

"Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I swallowed. Hard. Then I met his eyes and smiled shyly. "You're welcome."

I ran up to my room and immediately owled my girls. I had already told them all about him, and they had teased me relentlessly, accusing me of being "in lurve" with a vampire. I had ardently denied the accusations, but I couldn't anymore. I was irrevocably in love with Edward Cullen.

The next morning I could be found flitting about the house with a goofy grin on my face. I may have gone a little overboard with the flitting, and I found myself running late for school. As I was racing to my truck I noticed a shiny silver Volvo in the driveway. Edward was leaning against the passenger door with a roguish grin on his face. "I thought you could ride with me today."

I smiled back and he opened the door for me. "Thanks."

We were definitely the talk of the school when we arrived. I think Jessica's jaw may even be in danger of permanent dislocation. I felt a bit bad for Edward. The mental voices must be deafening. I wonder if he could learn to control his power with Occlumency. I made a mental note to look into that.

Edward headed off to his first class after dropping me off at mine. Classes seemed to drag on even longer than usual, as I was anxious to get to lunch. Jessica had asked me a billion questions about me and Edward in Calculus. I knew he was probably "listening" to Jessica's thoughts, so I just told her that he took me to dinner after we ran into each other in Port Angeles, and left it at that. She was dissatisfied, but I didn't care. Angela and Sarah had only made sure that I was alright and that we had a good time before moving on to another topic. This is why they were my best friends here.

At lunch I sat with Edward and we chatted about his family. He was telling about their animal preferences. Apparently Edward loves mountain lion. I laughed out loud. I couldn't wait to tell Nic! Then I realized that he was waiting for me to explain my outburst and the smile slid off my face. Shit. I can't exactly tell him one of my besties' animal form is a mountain lion. I told him I just thought it was funny that he has characteristics of a mountain lion, and that's what he likes to hunt. Lame, I know. It was the best I could do in his dazzling presence. I'd like to see you do better.

He just shook his head at me and we kept up our banter. It was amazing how someone who was, for all intents and purposes, dead, could make me feel so alive. I realized that once he laid off the brooding, he was actually quite funny. Before I knew it the lunch room was thinning out and the bell was about to ring.

Edward said he was ditching class and asked me if I wanted to join him. I didn't particularly care about class, but I knew it would disappoint Charlie if I was caught skipping classes with a boy. As I sat in class I realized that I really should have skipped. I was staring out the window day dreaming about beautiful bronze haired vampires, and hadn't heard one word of the lesson. I was startled out of my reverie by catching sight of Caelen flapping wildly outside the window. I turned back toward the teacher just has he was pricking Mike's finger to demonstrate the blood typing lab. Perfect.

I wandlessly placed a mild glamour over my complexion to make me look a bit peaky. I then started swaying a bit on my stool, catching Mr. Banner's eye. "Bella, are you feeling alright."

I groaned. "No sir, I have an aversion to blood. Can I please be excused?"

"Of course. Do you need someone to escort you to the nurse?"

"No, sir. I just need some fresh air."

"Very well. Feel better."

I made my way to the empty girl's bathroom and opened the window. Caelen came in moments later and extended his leg. The girls must have told him it was urgent if he was interrupting me at school. They must be really freaked out that I'm in love with a vampire.

I unrolled the scroll and realized they sent me the morning newspaper. There was a sticky note on the front page that read:

_That's great about Edward, but you need to read this. _

– _The Skirts_

The main article was titled, "Sirius Black breaks into the Gryffindor Tower at Hogwarts!"

The article went on to state that my dad had broken into the castle again, and had managed to get in the tower that housed Harry Potter. There was more speculation about how he was trying to finish Voldemort's task of murdering Harry. Idiots, the lot of them. He was standing over the bed of Ronald Weasley with a knife. If he was after Harry, why wasn't he standing over _him_? If was truly a madman, he would have massacred Harry straight away. Why was I the only one to see this? I followed the article where it continued on page 3B, and found another note. It read:

_Idiots, the lot of them. Why was he standing over Weasley's bed if he was after Harry? Do they even read this rubbish before they publish it?_

– _The Skirts_

I had to laugh at that. We thought so much alike. He's giving us some clues here. I needed to think on this. I also needed to talk to the girls. I sent Caelen back with a letter asking them to look up any news articles published featuring the Weasleys. I told them I'd floo call them at 1:00 am in our floor's common room.

After sending Caelen back, I read the article a few more times. I decided I really could use some fresh air and went outside to think. I pulled my knees to my chest when I sat on the curb and rested my forehead against my knees. Why was he going after Weasley? I read about their family in the genealogy books, and they were a respectable lot, strongly ensconced on the side of the Light. Ronald was a third year like Harry. That's so young. What would he have that would help my dad?

I was deep in thought, and didn't notice Edward's approach until he was directly in front of me. "Bella?" He sounded worried.

I looked up in shock. "Edward, I thought you were ditching."

"I was. I was sitting in my car waiting for my next class."

I cocked my head to the side. "Why didn't you tell me we were blood typing?"

He laughed out loud. "Can't handle a little blood, Bella?"

I couldn't very well tell Edward that I needed to escape from the room because my owl was about to start making a scene, so I just smiled sheepishly. "I guess not."

The next thing I knew, I was in Edward's arms. Ooo, I like it here. But this was abnormal. "What the hell are you doing, Edward?"

He smiled mischievously and said, "I'm getting you out of gym, now hush."

Eh, who am I to argue? I laid my head on his strong chest and allowed his scent to envelop me. Before I knew it Edward was setting me down in a chair just inside the office. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.

I heard him speaking to Mrs. Cope. He convinced her to let him take me home as I was feeling sick after the blood typing. She was putty in his capable hands. When we got back in the car I asked something I'd been curious about since I first saw him.

"How old are you, Edward?"

"Seventeen," was his deadpan answer.

I rolled my eyes. "And how long have you been seventeen?"

"A while."

"Come on, Edward," I whined. Then pouted.

He sighed. "I was born in 1901."

I let my eyes travel up and down his body, surveying him. When I made my way back up to his eyes, I could see that he was waiting expectantly. "You look good for 94."

He grinned and shook his head. "You never respond the way I expect."

I smiled smugly. "Just trying to keep you on your toes, Cullen."

After he dropped me off at Charlie's, I decided to floo to New York. The largest US wizarding library was located there, and they have archives of old newspapers from around the globe. I sat for a few moments contemplating where to begin. I knew I would be looking through old copies of the Daily Prophet, but I didn't know when to start.

I decided to start with the day that my dad escaped, and move backward. Perhaps the reason he was trying to get to Ron was the catalyst behind his escape. I skimmed through all the headlines trying to find something that would have motivated him to risk slipping past the Dementors. The Weasley's were on the forefront of my search, but I didn't want to limit myself.

About an hour after starting my search, I hit pay dirt. Peter. Fucking. Pettigrew. There was a picture of the entire Weasley clan smiling and waving to the camera. The little bastard was sitting on Ronald Weasley's shoulder, missing toe and all. He is hiding as Ron's pet rat. Holy mother of Merlin! Harry's been sleeping in a room with the bastard who betrayed his parent's for almost three years! I quickly approached the librarian and paid for a few copies of the article.

My mind was all over the place as I waited for my 1:00 call. I _had_ to tell someone. This was bigger than my father. This was Harry's life, too. Peter is dangerous. There is just one problem. Who is going to believe me? The only people that knew about Peter's animal form are either dead, presumed dead or on the run…Wait. No. Remy. He knows about Peter. I have no idea what happened to him, though. Merlin, what was his last name? It started with an L. Lincoln, Lisbon…no…Lupin!

WAIT! I remember seeing an announcement of the placement of a Remus Lupin at Hogwarts this year. Perfect! I can send the article to Remus anonymously and he will recognize Peter. My dad will have an ally!

It was with great excitement that I placed my head into the fireplace to call the girls. The three of them looked just as excited as I was. They had found the same article as me. It was with great joy that we discussed my plan to contact Remus about my dad's innocence. They thought it was excellent. Remy was in a much better position to help than we were. He was in the castle, and could keep an eye out for Peter while making sure Harry was protected.

With that discussion out of the way, the girls moved onto Edward. They squealed at the look on my face upon the mere mention of his name. "You've got it bad, girl." I didn't try to deny it. It was true. I told them I'd send a memory of Edward so they could see him. They were most pleased with this idea.

After we concluded our conversation I made my way upstairs to write the letter to Remy. I _really_ wanted to tell him who I was. I was scared, though. It had been seven years. He had turned his back on my father. How did I know if I could trust him with that type of information? I decided to continue to keep my secret for now, and penned the letter anonymously.

_Dear Remus,_

_Attached to this letter you will find an article from this past summer about the Weasley family's trip to Africa. Please note the rat sitting on Ronald Weasley's shoulder. Pay close attention to his front paw. I believe you will see that it is missing a toe. That's right, Remus. Say hello to your old friend Peter. _

_Sirius Black is not breaking into Hogwarts to get to Harry. He's trying to keep Harry safe from Peter. I mean, come on Remus, do you honestly think that the man you knew would sell out his best friend, his brother, to the man who ordered the death of his own daughter? That he would allow any harm to come to his own godson? If you really knew him at all you'd know he'd have the complete opposite reaction to Isabella's death. He wouldn't _betray_ them; he would completely disregard his own safety in order to _protect_ them._

_That is exactly what he did. He used the muggle magician's greatest weapon, Remus. Misdirection. The Potter's needed a secret keeper. They secretly chose Peter while Sirius made the enemy think it was him. It's as brilliant as it is selfless. Sirius took all the danger upon himself. Even if Voldemort was able to capture Sirius and question him under Veritaserum, the secret would remain safe. The only kink in the plan was the fact that Peter Pettigrew is a dirty, rotten, treacherous little parasite. _

_Sirius was framed, Remus, and has spent the last 12 years in hell for a crime he didn't commit. I have always believed him to be innocent, but I had no proof until I saw this picture. The problem I face is that this picture will convince no other. Only you, Remus. Please help him. Find Peter. Sirius deserves to be exonerated. Lily, James and Harry deserve to have the one truly responsible for their suffering brought to justice. _

_Please._

_- An old friend_

I attached the letter to Caelen and promised him a long vacation if he would deliver it as quickly as possible. I also asked him to make sure that Remus is alone when the letter is delivered. As I watched him fly away I realized just how angry I was at Remy. How could he believe that my father was guilty? How could he believe it for one moment? He was my only hope, though. I just had to pray that he would be able to help.

The next few months flew by. There were no more sightings of my dad, and I had to pray that Remus was able to help him. I'd never forgive Remy if Sirius received the Kiss. It might not be fair, but that's how I feel.

Things in Forks were amazing…for awhile. Edward. There are just no words. He's funny and intelligent. Kind and protective, if a bit possessive. I don't mind though. I don't care if I'm betraying my gender, or whatever. That boy owned me. I had no doubts that he was my soul mate. I loved him. So much. He completes me in a way that I didn't know was possible. And the way he looks at me. I see nothing but adoration in his eyes. He tells me he loves me every day.

I had also gotten close with his family these past few months, sans Rosalie. She had a real problem with me. Whatever. I don't much care for her, either. I have no idea how she and Emmett ended up together. He is warm teddy bear to her ice princess. It's weird. He's awesome, though. He's like a giant kid. I sooo want to prank him. I would have to use magic, though. I haven't told Edward that I'm a witch, and it's killing me.

I feel like I'm betraying him. He's so open with me, and I am keeping such a huge part of myself from him. I'm just so torn. Vampires aren't supposed to know the secret. If I were to tell them, they'd need to have the charm placed over the knowledge. I wasn't equipped to do that myself. There were specially made potions and Legilimency involved when placing it over a vampire. After what Eleazar told me of Aro Volturi, I couldn't risk them knowing without the charm. If Aro found out, he would likely drive a campaign against our kind, since we know their secret. I'd have to contact the ministry, and tell them I'd illegally informed a coven of seven vampires about the magical world. I'd probably be arrested. I'm not sure if claiming that they were my family would work in this instance.

I sought advice from the Skirts, and they weren't exactly sure how to handle things either. Though they did think it would be awfully convenient for us to have the aid of seven vampires in our search for Pettigrew. I couldn't argue that. They thought I should wait a little while, though. I had only been dating him for a few months, after all. We had been together ever since the Port Angeles incident. It was kind of funny how I found out that I had a vampire boyfriend.

_It was the Friday before the dance and Mike was sitting on my desk chatting me up before Mr. Banner started the lesson. He had been ignoring the fact that there was obviously something going on between me and Edward, much to Edward's annoyance. He finally decided to lay his claim on me when Mike asked me to reconsider coming to the dance, stating he'd be sure to save plenty of dances for me. Edward responded for me. "I'm sorry, Mike, but my girlfriend and I already have plans tomorrow night." The look on Mike's face was priceless. _

More than having vampire help on the hunt for Peter, I wanted to tell Edward because I wanted him to know me. _All of me_. Finally the girls and I agreed that I should wait until my birthday to tell them. We'd have my annual party at Harley's on the fourth (you can share this once, America) and I could bring the Cullens. I had sent the girls a pensieve, so they knew what Edward looked like, but they really wanted to meet him and his family in person.

Speaking of his family, I seem to have gotten off track. Where was I? Oh yes, I want to prank Emmett. It will be one of the first items on my agenda once they all know I am capable of magic. I'm sure Alice will help me. She can see the future, but she can't see through magic. It blocks her vision. She has been frustrated with her gift since she met me. I hope our friendship makes up for it. She is the most excitable little pixie you'll ever meet in your life, and I absolutely love her. I talked to the Skirts about inducting her, as she's a master schemer. They were all for it.

Her mate is Jasper. He's an empath. I think that my reactions puzzle him sometimes. He is always asking why certain things about vampires don't frighten or confuse me. I just shrug in response. I don't know what to say. I'd seen much stranger things that a bunch of vegetarian vampires in my day. Jasper also has the most difficult time with his blood lust, and he mostly keeps his distance. I went to the book store in New York and bought every book on vampires I could find (Since Edward spent practically every night with me, I placed a charm on them so that he would be reading a Jane Austen novel if he tried to read it). I now probably knew more about vampires than they did. I was currently working on finding something to help them with the burn of their thirst. It would take some research, and some invention on my part, but it would be worth it.

Esme and Carlisle were also amazing. They were both so loving and compassionate. It was interesting to see the dynamic of their family. Carlisle and Esme weren't that much older than their "kids" at the ages they were turned. Hell, Edward had a decade on Esme as far as total years on the Earth. The "kids" all viewed them as parents, though. It warmed my heart. The vampire nature is aggressive and territorial. It's practically unheard of to have a coven the size of the Cullens. There is too much infighting. They end up killing each other. But the Cullens truly love each other. Looking at them, I realize that even as vampires, they are more human than Voldemort ever was.

Funnily enough, it was through the Cullens that I found out what has been keeping Jake so occupied. Edward and I were relaxing in a meadow he found when we were approached by six giant wolves. I wasn't scared or anything, but these wolves were freaking huge. Edward was looking at them intensely, almost like he was having a mental conversation with them. Yep, he just nodded. I looked back to the wolves and realized they must be shape shifters. I then noticed that they had clothes tied around their legs. Ha! They couldn't keep their clothes when they transformed.

Animagus 1. Shape Shifters 0.

They suddnely turned around and sprinted back into the trees. A few seconds later three boys I didn't recognize, along with Jacob, Quil and Embry came walking out of the forest. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull. Then I smirked at him. "Shape shifter, huh?" He smiled sheepishly at me. "Yeah." The three other boys were then introduced as Sam, Jared and Paul.

Jacob explained that he wanted to tell me, but that Sam, as alpha, had ordered him not to. I was just a regular human after all. I internally snorted. I could see the apology in Jake's eyes. I wasn't mad at him, though. He couldn't tell me their secret anymore than he could tell them mine.

Sam explained that when they're in their wolf form they have a collective pack mind, so he knew how desperate Jake was to tell me. I finally understood why Sandy said that it was imperative for Jake to have the charm. His mind needed to be protected from the pack. And Edward, it turns out. Anyway, after the Cullens told him that I knew about vampires, he decided they could trust me with their secret as well.

All the wolves, sans Jacob, were surprised at how well I was taking the news. Paul told me I handle weird really well. You have no idea, my friend. It turns out that their pack is natural enemies with vampires. I looked to Edward, but he seemed at ease.

Sam explained that in the past vampires had killed many people in their tribe. It was their job to protect their people from future attacks. Jacob's grandfather had made a treaty with the Cullens that would keep peace between them as long as they didn't kill humans and stayed off Quillette land. When Sam first turned, he was a lone wolf, with no pack. He had come across the Cullens while they were hunting and his reaction was visceral. It didn't matter than it was 7 against 1. His instincts were screaming "ENEMY!"

The Cullens had managed to subdue him without killing him. Afterwards Carlisle had made sure that he healed correctly. Sam's view changed on the Cullens that day. They would have been within their right to kill him. He had ventured outside the treaty line, and he'd attacked them unprovoked. The Cullens had helped him adjust to his life as a shape shifter, and he was grateful to them. They had become good friends. I was skeptical that a wolf, no matter how large, could kill a vampire. Edward informed me that they were more than capable. Humph.

Animagus 1. Shape Shifters 1.

They should probably get more points for being capable of killing a vampire, but I reserve the right to be stingy with my mental points.

After the pack's secret was out, we spent a lot of time hanging out with them. They were a lot of fun. One day they decided to play baseball. Apparently there was storm coming, and that was the only time the vampires could play. All the wolves joined, except Sam, who stayed back to protect the reservation.

It was an amazing sight. I paid rapt attention, and planned on sending the memory to the Skirts. When one of the wolves would bat, they would shift into their wolf form to round the bases. They wore a towel around their bits when they were in human form so they could keep their modesty without destroying all their clothes.

Alice was winding up for a pitch when she got a faraway look in her eyes. We all knew what that meant, and the group immediately met in the center of the field to find out what was going on. Apparently the three vampires that the Cullens had been helping the wolves track were making their way to investigate the game.

I was suddenly surrounded by my vampire and wolf family. The three vampires came gliding out of the trees on the opposite side of the clearing. Their easy gait faltered at the site of the wolves. This was what vampires were supposed to look like. They were wild. Feral. Red eyed. Even though they were outnumbered almost 4 to 1, I was scared. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. The man with crazy eyes and long blonde hair leaned over to the woman with a mass of untamed red hair, and whispered something in her ear. She took off, and Edward growled. The others looked to Edward enquiringly, and I figured they didn't hear what the blonde vampire said, either.

Edward murmured something that I couldn't hear and everyone growled. Paul then took off toward the reservation while Jared, Embry and Quil ran off behind us. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett took off after the two males while Edward and Alice stayed back to protect me. I looked back up at Edward and his expression was lethal. I tugged on his sleeve and asked what was happening. He looked down at me with barely controlled rage.

"The blonde could see that we all gathered to protect a human. It presented a challenge that excited him. He was also curious about the wolves. He knew we would protect you so he's decided to make a game out of killing you. He sent the redhead out to circle around and try to snatch you from behind while we were concentrating on the two of them." Ah, good old misdirection. How do you trick a vampire like that, though? Even without Edward's ability it's very difficult to sneak up on a vampire. "Paul went back to the reservation to help Sam protect their people if the vampires ended up getting that far. The rest of the pack went after the redhead, while the rest of our family went after the two males."

Wow, this is…intense. About ten minutes later I saw a plume of purple smoke off in the distance. Alice and I looked to Edward and he said that the two males were dead, but the redhead got away. Just as he said this the wolves came back into the clearing with their heads hanging low.

Edward reassured them. "It's not your fault. We didn't get close enough to them for me to hear their thoughts before. The redhead has a gift. When she is under attack she finds the best escape. It's how they've been evading us all along."

Everyone was very subdued after the attack. We were also worried. If you kill a vampire's mate, they get revenge. Period. They don't care that their mate may have had it coming. That is not the last we will see of the redhead, who Edward later told us was Victoria. Edward was very upset. He kept telling me I could have died. How it would have been all his fault. I tried make him see the flaws in his logic. "Edward, I could have died when Tyler lost control of his van. I could have died when those thugs tried to assault me in Port Angeles. I am _alive_ because of you." Again. Not really. He needed to hear this, though. He still remained convinced of his culpability.

That night I floo called the girls before Charlie went to sleep and Edward returned. I placed a Muffliato so that Charlie and the vampires outside my house couldn't hear our conversation. The girls were very upset. They knew that Victoria would be back. They were afraid that she would eventually find a way to get to me. Over the course of our conversation they convinced me to study Fiendfyre. I didn't have to practice using it, but I could at least get comfortable with the theory on how to control and banish it. You can't put out a Fiendfyre, so you have to banish it into non-existence. Before you can banish it you have to be able to get it under control. It is not an easy task, but then again, I'm no ordinary witch. I told them I'd study so that I'd have a back up to the shield I can erect. They told me they'd get the books and floo them over while we were in school.

When the shield was up no vampire could touch me with their person, but it didn't protect me from weapons. A vampire could make just about anything into a weapon. It would be possible to fight their weapons, but vampires are quick. How to conjure and control a Fiendfyre is definitely a good thing to know when you have dalliances with vampires.

My relationship with Edward became strained over the month leading up to my birthday. He was obsessing on Victoria, and I didn't know how to bring him back. I tried to soothe him by reminding him that it was thirteen against one, but he was inconsolable. While he spent the month brooding, I spent the month learning about Fiendfyre. I practiced by controlling regular fire using the methods of controlling the cursed variety. I had Charlie kick Edward out for about two to three hours a night so that I could practice. By the time my birthday came around, I was completely solid with banishment spell. I was also pretty kick ass at controlling regular fire.

I was going over to the Cullens to celebrate my birthday. I was going to ask Edward to take me to the meadow after the mini party. I would tell him first. Then we would come back and tell the rest of his family. I was hoping that Edward would feel better when he knew that I could potentially take out Victoria on my own. He wouldn't have to worry about me all the time. I wanted my Edward back. He was acting so distant all the time, and it was breaking my heart. He was with me almost all the time, but he wasn't emotionally present. Every time I would ask him what was wrong, I'd get the same answer. "Don't worry about it, Bella. Everything's fine." Obviously not, Edward.

Alice had gone all out for my birthday. She had tons of decorations and a huge cake. The wolf pack was there and we were having a good time. Then I got a paper cut as a slid my finger under the paper of one of my presents. Everything suddenly went very, very wrong. Jasper lunged at me and then Emmett and Carlisle grabbed him. All the wolves phased in an instant and Edward threw me back into a table covered with crystal. It all smashed upon impact, and sliced my arm open.

The wolves were frantic. These were their friends, but they were also vampires in a room with a bleeding human. They were able to get Jasper out, and all the vampires, sans Carlisle and Edward followed him. When Edward turned back around he had an empty look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he'd said.

I tried to reassure him. I'd had worse injuries, after all. I wasn't his fault, anyway. I should have had my shield erected. I had become lax with the Cullens because I trusted them so completely. It was a stupid mistake. There can still be accidents, as we'd just proven. If I had the shield up, Edward wouldn't have been able to move me when he tried to push me out of the way, and I would have been safe from Jasper. I told him it wasn't his fault, that I needed to talk to him about something and he'd understand. He told me that he was going to go after Jasper, and to let Carlisle patch me up.

After Carlisle stitched me up Edward returned and took me home. The detachment in his eyes when he said he was going to hunt with Jasper terrified me. He assured me that the wolves would watch the house tonight, and that I didn't need to worry about Victoria. He needn't worry. I wasn't concerned with Victoria right now, I was concerned with him.

I asked him to come back in the morning, as I had something I really needed to discuss with him. He promised he would and then drove away. Ugh, that was the worst birthday ever.

I was really nervous to see him today. I didn't know what he was feeling after the horrible events last night.

When he arrived he asked me to take a walk with him. I obliged and he walked me a little ways into the forest. I could still see Charlie's house. Some walk. My entire being was filled with dread. What was happening?

"Bella, we're leaving."

Well, that's not terrible, I guess. I wonder how they feel about Massachusetts. If they could move near Salem I could still see them. The girls and I sneak out as our animal forms all the time. "Okay, I'll just need to talk to Charlie. How do you feel about Massachusetts?"

He looked pained. "No, Bella. I mean I am leaving with my family."

I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces. I could barely choke out, "I thought I was a part of your family."

His jaw tensed. "Bella, you're not good for us. For me."

A hole started forming in my chest where my crumbled heart used to reside. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I struggled to speak. "What are you saying, Edward? You told me you loved me. You said that vampires mate for life. If I'm your mate, how can you just leave me here? I need you, Edward. I'm not whole without you."

He bowed his head and his shoulders slumped. He stayed that way for a few moments before he straightened back up and his eyes found mine. I saw a new emotion in them. Resolve. "I'm sorry, Bella. I tried to convince myself you were my mate, because of your mental silence. But over the last month I realized that we aren't meant to be. I tried to make it work, but it just isn't. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but it's for the best. You'll never see me again; it will be as if I never existed. You'll get over me, and live out your life like you're supposed to."

I was pissed. "You're sorry? Do you do this in every town, Edward? Find some poor little human girl, make her fall in love with you and then just abandon her to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart? When I tell someone I love them I mean it, Edward. This isn't some school girl crush. You don't just "get over it" when your soul mate suddenly decides you're not good enough for him." I was all out sobbing now. I couldn't control myself.

He squeezed his eyes closed and when he opened them back up my eyes were too watery to notice the look of pain that flashed through his. "I'm sorry, Bella. Just please, promise me you won't do anything reckless or stupid."

"You're in no position to ask anything of me, Edward." I couldn't promise him that. If Peter wasn't found in the next year, I was fully intending on doing things that were both reckless and stupid to find him.

I turned my head and didn't notice the look of agony and desperation etched into his beautiful face. "Please Bella, I'm not worth it."

"Why are you still here, Edward? It's not like you or _your_ family really cares what happens to your little human pet. Did you bring me out here so that you could feel like you were dropping me off at the pound? Don't worry; I was already dumped in an orphanage when I was four. It's not like being left behind is new to me."

With that I turned around and sprinted back to Charlie's house. I completely missed the way his face crumpled in agonized devastation.

After slamming the door shut, I leaned against it and then slid to the floor. As I realized that a huge part of my world just decided to step out of it, my anger started seeping away to be replaced by waves of grief and a bit of guilt. I may have gone too far with that last bit, but I was distraught. Justifiably so. I don't understand how someone can tell you that you are they're sister or daughter and then just leave you behind without so much as a parting "fuck you." How someone can tell you he loves you every day for months and then tell you he was just trying to force himself to love you because it was convenient he couldn't read your mind?

It reminded me of Peter. Remy, Jamie and daddy were like his brothers. They loved him. If their situations had been reversed, they would have _died_ trying to protect him. Ten years of friendship meant nothing to Peter. He threw it all away. And for what? I cruel master who cares _nothing_ for him? It makes no sense to me.

I felt like I was losing myself. I could actually feel myself going numb. Now that actually _is_ ironic, Alanis.

No. I couldn't let that happen. Just because the Cullens didn't love or want me didn't mean there weren't people who did. My father spent 12 years in prison after he believed his daughter and best friend to be murdered. After being betrayed by one of his other best friends in the worst possible way. He survived. He saw that Harry was in danger and he broke out of Azkaban bleeding Prison to try and protect him. When my father loves, he loves fiercely. I am the person that he loves most in the world. He always told me so. I would not allow myself to become disconnected. I would stay strong for my father.

My Skirts also loved me. They were my sisters, my family. They stood by me when I told them that a man widely believed to be a mass murderer was my father. And I believed him to be innocent. I had no proof to offer them other than the memories of a four year old and my belief in my father. They accepted it. Accepted me. They are willing to risk their lives to help me find the man who destroyed so many lives. That is what you do when you love someone. You stick by them.

Right now I needed to be around people who loved me. People who accepted me. I ran up to my room and quickly packed my belongings. I left a quick note to Charlie to say that I was going to stay with the girls for the rest of the summer and then head back to Salem. I promised to owl. I scribbled out the same note to Jacob and went to the back yard to call Caelen to me. I asked him to deliver the letter to Jacob and then meet me at Harley's. He looked at me worriedly and then rubbed his face against my cheek. It just made more tears fall. My owl loved me. "I love you, too" I sniffed.

After he flew away I ran back inside, pulled out my wand and apparated on the spot. Everyone was already at Harley's house when I got there. Upon seeing my red, puffy eyes and running nose my friends crowded around me, asking me what happened.

I started sobbing. "Edwa…Ed…Eh…The Cullens, they l-l-left me. _He _said that he never l-l-loved m-me, that he j-j-just liked that he couldn't read my m-m-mind." I wailed. "They all j-j-just left. The rest of them didn't even say g-g-goodbye!" They looked murderous, but I couldn't shut my stupid mouth. "H-h-he s-said I wasn't g-g-good enough f-f-for him!"

Nicole lost her temper and her angry magic was swirling around us all. "That's bullshit, Bella! You're one of the most loving, loyal people I've ever known. He was lucky to have you in his life!"

I gave her a weak smile while the three of them hugged me and cooed comforting words in my ear. "It's going to be okay, Bella. I promise it will be okay."

**A/N:**

**Big thanks go out to Termia, vivs-chan, and carj89 for your reviews! I really appreciate them! **

**This was a long one people. I know I changed around some things, and the timeline didn't really follow the books, but I didn't want to just retell Twilight. I had them go ahead and kill James and Laurent because…one – I never understood why they didn't just go ahead and do it in the book, either, and two – the wolves knew that they were human drinkers. With them present, there was no choice but to go after them.**

**I also know that Bella's reaction is **_**very **_**OOC. I had her react this way because I don't think it's believable for a girl who's been through as much as my Bella has been through to have the same reaction as Meyer's Bella. My Bella has had horrific things happen in her life because a friend turned his back on her and her friends and family. Because of this Bella takes these bonds very seriously. Like she said, when she tells someone she loves them, she means it. It's not just lip service to her. She also loves fiercely. She doesn't hold back. She's seen how easy it is to have people ripped out of your life by outside forces. It was very painful for her to have Edward just walk away. So often in her life it would have been easier for her to just let go and walk away, but she stayed loyal. Like to Sirius, for instance. It would have been so much easier to just forget about him. The only person who knew she was his daughter was Sandy, and she wasn't telling anyone. She didn't do that, though. She's stuck by him, even if just in spirit. She's also been trying to come up with ways to help him. That is the only way she knows how to love someone. She doesn't understand (nor do I, truth be told. I never liked that he left. I found it cowardly) that by leaving, Edward was showing that he loved her in a way that he understood.**

**No worries, though. I plan on this being an E/B HEA.**

**Anywho, I hope you aren't too disappointed with the way it turned out. Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you guys and I'm a bit nervous how this chapter will be received.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Just a few things before you read the chapter…**

**There will be some music in this chapter that is recent. I know the story is set in the 90s, so just go with it. The songs fit what I wanted, so I used them.**

**I got a review reply from Termia asking me if all the stuff went down with the Marauders and the Golden Trio already, since it wasn't mentioned and we're into the summer. Yes, the ministry kept the story out of the papers, because of their massive blunder in losing Sirius (At least in my version), so The Skirts don't know anything about it. They just know that there has been no more news. I didn't want to give Bella any indication that she might find someone who'd believe her that Sirius is innocent.**

**Speaking of review replies, does anyone know how to do it? Whenever I click the link in the review alert e-mail I get a page that says something to the effect of, "Oops, this page doesn't exist on FFn" I can only figure out how to reply in PM, so if someone asks a question and they have the PM feature turned off I can't respond. I feel dumb, because I get replies to my reviews all the time that don't go through PM. **

**Thanks!**

Chapter Nine:

My friends have been giving me some space for the last week or so. They know that I need time to grieve the death of my relationship with _him._ It just hurts so much. I think back to the time we spent together; all the times he told me he loves me. Was everything a lie? Every look of adoration? Every kiss? Every caress? Every "I love you."? I'm just so confused.

I sigh, feeling defeated. I just don't know. I thought I knew him, but the man I knew would never just abandon me. Would he? Or did I really not know him at all? And his family. They just left without a single parting glance. There one day and gone the next. Not because I was abducted and they falsely presumed I was dead. Nope. They weren't forced to leave, they chose to. They left because they don't want or need me. I need them, though. But they left.

I have been listening to Taylor Swift's "Breathe" over and over again. The lyrics express how I'm feeling in this moment better than I ever could…

_I see your face in my mind as I drive away __  
><em>_Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way __  
><em>_But people are people and sometimes we change our minds __  
><em>_But its killin me to see you go after all this time _

I was trying really hard not to let it kill me. I know my friends won't allow it, but I just feel so lost right now.

_Music starts playing like the end of a sad movie  
>It's the kind of ending you don't really wanna see<br>Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down  
>Now I don't know what to be without you around <em>

I _don't_ know what to be without him around. It's like losing you right arm...or your wand. Something that's a part of you. How do you function after that? How do you go on when half your soul is missing? Are you even a whole person at that point? Where does that leave me?

_And we know it's never simple never easy  
>Never a clean break, no one here to save me<br>You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand  
>And I can't breathe without you but I have to<br>Breathe, without you but I have to_

The day after I arrived at Harley's, the girls asked me to explain exactly what he said. They were having a hard time believing that I wasn't _his_ mate. Sigh. No. If I can say Voldemort's name, I can say Ed..ward's. Edward. I can say it. Or at least think it. I will not be a coward.

I didn't want to repeat everything Edward said to me, though. I decided to just give them the memory. It's funny how a magical person's mind works. We can consciously miss so many things in the moment, but our subconscious minds are able to retain every detail of the event, leaving a perfect memory.

As I gathered the memory in my mind to pull the pensieve, I remembered some things Edward said. I hadn't taken in the words while I was sobbing relentlessly in front of him. But my mind retained them. He told me his family was already gone. He said it was to give me a clean break. Apparently that's supposed to make me feel better.

Yeah, right. Just like Taylor says, there's never a clean break. Not when it comes to matters of the heart. It's _always_ messy. When someone you love leaves you behind, how can it be easier if they just remove themselves from your life? I think it's a coward's move. The Cullens got to move on with their lives without having to see the devastation they wrought in mine. They don't have to be accountable for their actions. They don't have to see me stuggle to breathe, to live, without them. I mean, does family mean nothing to them?

Sweet Circe, it means so much to me. I can't hold back the tears as I think about all the families that have been torn apart because of outside forces. Families that would have, and did, _fight to the death_ to stay together. The non evil Blacks. The Potters. The Prewetts. The Longbottoms. The names go on and on. I read about so many families that were obliterated in that senseless war. But they fought. They stuck together. That's how I felt about the Cullens. If Victoria threatened them I would have fought for them, been willing to die to protect them. Because they were my family. I guess they lied when they told me they viewed me the same way, because family doesn't abandon. They don't walk away.

I try not to allow the Cullens' and Peter's actions color the way I view life. I don't want to turn into an embittered old hag who trusts no one and pushes everyone away in order to protect myself from this kind of pain. It's hard, though. Daddy, Jamie and Remy thought they knew Peter. They thought he was their friend. They trusted him with their lives, and now Jamie and Lily are dead because of it. My dad spent 12 years in prison and had to suffer people believing horrible lies about him. All because they trusted someone untrustworthy. But how do you know?

Thinking about my dad in this moment makes me feel like such a melodramatic drama queen. Edward and _his_ family left me. Even though I see it as a betrayal, the only consequence I have to live with is their absence in my life. No one has died. I am not being sent to prison. I suddenly felt a pang of sadness for my father. I wanted him to know that someone out there believed in him. He must feel so alone. I needed him to know that I had faith in him, even if he didn't know I was his daughter. I decided then and there that I would not wallow any longer. As an act of defiance, I decided that my first deed after climbing out of my pit of self pity would a reckless one.

I walked over to the desk and pulled out a small piece of parchment. On it I wrote a simple note:

_I know you're innocent. I believe in you. Always._

I didn't sign it or address it in case Caelen was intercepted. I didn't know where my dad would be hiding, and I didn't want to risk him being caught. I told Caelen to be extremely cautious and if there was any danger to himself or Sirius that he needed to turn around and come back immediately. If he couldn't find him within two weeks, he was to come home. He hooted and rubbed his head on my cheek affectionately. I think he's glad that I've returned to the land of the living.

The girls were huddled together over some parchment when I entered the living room after my self induced exile. I cleared my throat and three heads shot up in my direction. They all smiled comfortingly and gestured for me to join them. Harley quickly flipped their parchment over before I sat down, and I raised my eyebrow at her. "It's a surprise. It'll be ready tonight," she told me.

Sammie put her arm around me and I laid my head on her shoulder while Nicole comfortingly rubbed my back. "You should go see the Jacob. He's got to be worried about you, Bells." Harley suggested.

I shot her a wry grin. "You're just trying to get me out of the house so that you guys can wrap up your little covert operation."

The corner of her lips twitched, but she tried for an innocent look. She finally gave up after a few seconds and let a smirk take over her features. "Maybe."

I sighed. "Fine. How long should I stay away?"

They looked at each other having a silent conversation before Nic turned back to me. "Come back in 5 hours."

"Five hours?" I whined. "What am I supposed to do for five hours?"

They all rolled their eyes at me. "You are going to talk to Charlie and Jacob. If you tell them what happened it will probably take _more_ than five hours to convince the pack not to hunt Edward down and rip him to pieces." Sammie offered with a sardonic grin.

"Har Har. I give you five hours." I pulled out my wand and apparated on the spot.

I landed in the woods just outside Charlie's house. I wasn't sure if he was home, or if he'd be alone. As soon as I walked through the door I was surrounded by a bunch of wolves. Before I registered what was happening Jacob had me in a tight embrace. After he pulled away he held me at arm's length and looked me over. "What happened, Bella? Are you okay?"

All the wolves looked frantic. "I'm fine. I went to Harley's. I left you a note."

Sam took over. "It's Victoria. She's been seen around Forks. Your truck was here, but you were gone. The Cullens had left. We were afraid…"

I felt an immense wave of guilt crash into me. I'd been so wrapped up in my own heartache that I thought of no one but myself. Of course they'd be worried. And shit, how do I explain how I left and came back so suddenly without transportation while being trailed by a vampire out for blood?

I decided to tell the wolf pack my secret. They trusted me with theirs. They were not a potential enemy to magical people, hell they were magical creatures themselves. I could also perform the charm to hide the knowledge in their minds myself, as they don't have the same defenses that protect vampires from all but the most complex magic. I won't have to inform anyone that I told them.

Sam continued while I was lost in thought. "Well, we were just scared that either Victoria got to you, or the Cullens…I don't know. Had an accident? Jasper was so out of control. I know he would never hurt you in his right mind, but, well, you saw him. I hate to think of them like that, but they just told us they were leaving a few minutes after you left their house. They were already packing their things. It all happened so fast, and they didn't really explain anything. Only that you weren't going with them."

I grimaced. Thanks for reminding me, Sam.

He didn't notice my sour face and continued on. "Did you end up going with them, Bella? I mean, you left so suddenly. How did you do it? And doesn't your friend live in Kentucky? How did you get back?"

I took a deep breath and made eye contact with Jake. He nodded at me in encouragement to trust the rest of the pack with my secret. "You guys might want to sit down. Paul, you said I handled weird really well. It's time to see how you boys fare."

I told them that I was a witch and that before I came to Forks, I'd attended a magical institution in Massachusetts. They all burst out laughing. Embry threw his arm around my shoulder and poked me in the cheek with his index finger. "Right, Bella."

I considered how best to show them that I was speaking the truth. I went through all the spells I knew, but finally decided on showing them my animal form. The only three people who know that I'm an animagus are Nicole, Sammie and Harley. First of all, it is illegal to become an unregistered animagus. Second, it made our adventures much easier. We also figured that it was helping Sirius to have his unknown form. He could be playing fetch with Cornelius Fudge and the man would never know he was but feet away from the convict he was hunting. I know the wolves will keep the secret, and it will introduce magic to them in a way theyll understand completely. I'd also been wanting to tell Jake for years.

With the decision made, I stood up and smirked at them. "So, you boys think you're so special, just because you can turn into an animal, don't you?" At the confused looks on their faces I transformed into a chocolate lab right in front of their eyes. I barked out a doggy laugh at the sight of their wide eyes and open mouths. I trotted up to Embry and put my nose under his chin, shutting his mouth for him. That broke the rest of the pack out of their shock induced silence and the room roared with laughter. I barked another laugh and chased my tail before transforming back into a human.

"And I get to keep my clothes and everything. Isn't magic awesome? It's illegal to transform without registering. You guys are the only people besides the Skirts who know. I know you won't tell anyone." They all agreed. I then took out my wand and started levitating Jared around the room. After that I broke a couple of glasses and repaired them, good as new. They were all very impressed.

Sam then looked to Jacob. "You knew?" At Jake's affirmative nod, Sam continued. "How did we not see this through our connection?"

I went on to explain the concept of the concealment charm and told them I'd have to place it over them. They were hesitant at first, but I assured them it was perfectly safe. Jake had his since he was nine, after all. After realizing that the reason the charm was required was to protect the magical community from vampires, they understood. They knew Edward could read minds, and I explained about Aro. They all ended up taking the charm without complaint.

After Jake finished regaling them on the wonders of Quidditch and wizarding New York, the pack wanted to know what happened with the Cullens. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. I was trying really hard not to feel sorry for myself, but retelling the story was making that a near impossible feat. I decided on the condensed version.

"Basically Edward realized that I wasn't his mate. He'd been trying to make me fit that mold, because of my mental silence, but after what happened on the baseball field, he started to question it. At least that's when I assume he started having doubts. That was when he started pulling away from me. After what happened with Jasper, he couldn't risk his family's safety anymore. Especially when he knew I wasn't his true mate." I tried to keep the moisture in my eyes while retelling the story, but a few tears spilled over.

When I finished the explanation they all shouted in unison, "Bullshit!"

"Excuse me? I think I know what happened. I was there, after all." I was hurt that they thought I was lying. Why would I lie about something like that?

Sam responded for his pack. "That's not what we mean, Bella. We are calling "bullshit" on Edward, not you. You are his mate. He knows it. His family knows it. We all know it. Why is it that you don't know it?"

The tears starting making their way down my cheeks much faster than before. I looked down at my twisted fingers resting in my lap. "I know Edward is my soul mate. But he said he didn't want me anymore. That I wasn't good enough for him."

The wolves shot out of their seats and started vibrating. Shit. I immediately apparated to the kitchen in case one of them accidentally phased. I heard surprised voices in the living room. "Where the hell did she go?"

"I'm in the kitchen. You guys looked like you might lose control and I didn't want to get in the way if you did."

I could tell they were still angry as they filed into the kitchen. Jared and Sam looked the most angry. In fact, they looked down right murderous. Jared was the one who spoke. "I can't believe he said those things to you Bella. I could never say those things to Kim. I could never leave her. Never. How can he stand to be away from you?"

I was…confused. I guess Sam could tell because he asked me if I'd ever heard of imprinting. At my negative response he explained, "When one of us meets our true mate, it is called imprinting. When you find this person, your whole life becomes centered on them. They become your everything. It doesn't matter if you're married, or in a committed relationship. There is nothing that can keep you from your imprint." He then told me about how he was dating Leah Clearwater all throughout high school. He was in love with her. He was going to marry her. Then he met her cousin, Emily. There were no ties that could keep him away from her. It was predestined. "It is the same way with vampires and their mates. When they fall in love, it's for eternity, Bella. Edward loves you. Even a blind man would be able to see it. You are his mate. I'm with Jared. I don't understand how he can stand to be away from you."

Jacob snorted. "You guys don't understand because you're not thinking like Edward. We all know how he was before he met Bella. All self loathing and emo. He hates what he is. He thinks he doesn't have a soul."

I gasped. How could Edward think that? It radiated through him like the brightest sun.

Jacob cocked his head to the side. "You don't know this because you changed him, Bella. You made him believe that maybe things could be different. You were his singer, but he managed to control his instincts enough to fall in love with you. When you looked at him, you didn't see a monster, even when you knew what he was. He started to believe you until James and his clan came along. It reminded him of what he is. Of the dangers he brought into your life. Of course, he didn't know that you had plenty of danger in your life without him. He tried to move past it, but it was hard. He was finally making progress when the paper cut incident happened. Jesus, Bella. You are a complete disaster." He gave me a wry grin and a wink. "After Jasper's attack, he couldn't justify his presence in your life anymore. He was just beginning to get used to the idea of protecting you from the dangers outside of the little Cullen bubble. Realizing you'd also be in danger _inside_ the bubble made it burst. He left because he loved you. He couldn't stand for you to be in danger because of him."

We all stared at Jake in stunned silence. It was broken by Embry. "When the hell did you get so observant?"

Jake just smiled at him. "Bella is my best friend. You think I'd let Cullen near her if I didn't know he loved her and had her best interest at heart?" He turned to me. "I've had my eye on him ever since he's had his on you, Bella. I know how he thinks. I also know that Edward Cullen is in love with you, and he always will be. In fact, I'd be willing to bet money he's holed himself in some dingy attic somewhere drowning in misery."

They all chuckled at that. Except me. I frowned…Edward _left_ because he loves me? What about the rest of them? I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Jake noticed my frown and pulled me into a hug. "Give him some time, Bella. He will see that his actions are misguided."

"Why did he tell me I wasn't his mate? He basically told me he never loved me." I murmured into Jacob's chest while my arms tightly hugged his waist.

Jake sighed. "This is all speculation, Bella. I know that Edward loves you, of that I'm sure. I'm just guessing on his motivations, here."

"What is your best guess?"

"Well, I think he left with the intention of never coming back." I tensed at his words and he continued hastily. "I'm not saying that I think he'll succeed, Bella. I believe he'll eventually break down and come back, begging for your forgiveness." He looked down at me with a smirk. "And you better make him beg."

I felt a real smile creep onto my face. "Oh, I will."

"Anyways, I think he left with the intention of staying away. He told you what he thought you needed to hear in order to get over him quickly. I imagine he thought you'd be angry and say 'Screw him'. He did this hoping that you would move on with your life, even knowing that he never would move on with his." He paused for a beat. "Why didn't you tell him, Bella? That you're a witch?"

"I was planning to. The night of my birthday. Everything went sideways so fast. Then he was telling me that he was leaving me behind. It's a huge committment for him to know the secret, Jake. The ministry will have to put the charm on him. I don't have the tools or knowledge to be able to perform it on a vampire. I could be arrested, Jake."

"Maybe you should spend your last year of school researching how to place the charm on a vampire. I know how you Skirts like your side projects."

I laid my head back against Jake's chest and let out a shuddered breath. Could what Jacob was saying be true? I thought about what everything we'd discussed while listening to the strong steady beat of his heart beneath my ear. I was broken from my inner musings when Charlie came home from work.

"Bells! We've been so worried about you. You have a vampire after you, you know?"

I grimaced. They told Charlie! I sent Sam a glare and he smiled sheepishly. "I was worried."

I rolled my eyes and they caught sight of the clock on the microwave. It was 8:30. Shit! It had been almost seven hours!

I ran to the living room and floo called the girls. They were already sitting in the living room waiting for me. Nic whined in a mocking voice, much higher than my own might I add. "What am I going to do for five hoooouuurs?"

"Oh hush, you. I ended up telling the pack about magic. It took a while."

Nic and Sammie scowled while each handing Harley a galleon. "You made a bet on me?"

"Yep," Harley said, popping the 'p'. "I told them the pack would want to know how you got to Kentucky and back so quick. You'd panic and tell them everything. You can be such an amateur sometimes."

"Hey!" I exclaimed while Sammie and Nic snickered. "Tell me, what would you come up with, oh wise one?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know. How about an airplane, Bella? You could have said that your friend Angela picked you up and dropped you off." She looked smug.

"Oh yeah? Where did I get the money to pay for these plane tickets, then? I'm just Bella Swan, remember?" Now it was my turn to look smug.

"It doesn't matter," Sammie reasoned. "The point is that they know. Did you place the charm on them?"

"I did. I was wondering if my surprise was something they could see. I want to bring some of them along, if it's okay with your family, Har."

"Of course you can bring them, Bells. Why not bring them all?"

"Victoria. At least two of them will need to stay and protect the town. As long as one of them stays in wolf form while they're there, the others will get to experience it as well."

"Oh, Bella! Speaking of Victoria, we've been doing some research," Nicole informed.

"What kind of research?"

"Wards" They said in unison with huge grins on their faces. Sammie continued, "We think we've figured out a permanent ward that you can place on a house to keep vampires out. It is a combination of your method of shielding yourself and other protective ward magic. We can come there now and place them on Charlie's and the wolves' houses if you want."

"Holy Merlin! You guys are genius! Yes, come over!"

I stepped back from the fire place and the girls apparated in the next moment. The wolves looked excited. "What do they mean by wards, Bella? Does this mean that vampires can't get into our houses?"

"Yep," Harley answered.

The girls explained the theory behind it, and it was brilliant in its simplicity. We would place a standard protective ward over the house. The wards, once set, stay up indefinitely if they aren't removed by a wizard capable of ward destruction. I would then use my magic to weave the shield through the ward. The shield couldn't stay up on my person without a small portion of my magic concentrated on maintaining it. However, the ward acted like a generator. Instead of using my magic to maintain itself, it would draw off the ward's magic. As the wards are self sustaining, the shield would never die out.

I started on Charlie's house, setting up the ward and the shield while the girls apparated the wolves to La Push to start setting up the wards on their houses. My magic was more powerful than my friends', and they couldn't erect the shield. They are unable to channel their magic the way I can. I've tried to tell them how I do it, and but they've never been able to do the things I can.

It took us about an hour to get all the wolves' houses, as well as some common areas warded and shielded. We did the common areas on the off chance that there is an attack on the town. The wolves could cover the elders while they ushered their people into the large community buildings.

I told the pack I knew a vegetarian vampire in Alaska. I promised to owl him and ask him to come down to test the viability of our creation. There is a wizarding town near Anchorage where I could meet him. I'd apparate us back to Forks and he could test the shields and then be back in Alaska before anyone knew he was gone.

It was around 10:00 by the time we finished, so it would be midnight in at Harley's. I asked her if we should wait until the next night for my surprise, but the girls insisted that it wasn't too late. Har's parents were at some convention in Georgia and the house was empty.

"We're at least ten miles from any neighbors, so we're good," Harley added helpfully. Oh Merlin. What did they have in store for me?

Jared and Embry were staying back, so I had the rest of the pack put a finger on an old shoe I'd turned into a portkey. Ha! Now I was the one standing regally while my travel companions were sprawled out across the ground.

The girls told us to get comfortable and Jacob phased so Jared and Embry wouldn't miss the show. I leaned against my friend, my brother, and snuggled in for the show.

I noticed Sammie and Harley throwing up some muggle repelling and notice-me-not charms.

"Ahem." Nicole got our attention, before continuing. "Bella. We know that you specifically chose your birthday to ensure that you'd always have fireworks on your birthday. Unfortunately, your last birthday was woefully lacking." Holy understatement, Batman. "So, the girls and I have come up with a little performance to try and make up for it. We've come up with some charms to make it happen, but we want your input when we're finished. We're thinking about presenting it to the school. Your weird voodoo like control over fire will improve the show."

Sammie continued. "Now, I know that the song is pretty spot on, a bit too obviously so, but we just felt that it was a good song to put to magic."

The music to "Firework" by Katy Perry came on and Sammie started singing the words. The visuals were amazing. They had managed to create fireworks that would explode into our animal forms.

When Sammie sang, "Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in," Harley magically erected a giant 10 foot tall house of cards and sent a gust of wind to blow the cards away. Nic then transfigured them into brilliant sparklers floating around the night.

During the line, "All the doors are closed so you can open one that leads you to the perfect road," Harley transfigured four doors that all slammed shut leaving one to open. She walked through and started walking down the yellow brick road that Nic created.

They then started focusing on the fireworks, and I decided to join in. Our animal forms were still being created amongst the other explosions, and I started manipulating them. I had the mountain lion and lab playfully wrestle while the fox chased after the hummingbird. They I changed one of the other generic explosions into a giant fire breathing dragon that was brought down by the tiny little hummingbird. Then I had the lion, lab and fox all dance to Thriller.

I continued to play with the fireworks that Nic and Harley were creating long after Sammie finished the song. We were all laughing and having a great time. It was the best belated birthday ever! I felt so grateful to have these people in my life. The only thing that would make it complete would be if I had my dad and the Cullens here with us.

A/N:

Big thanks to Lighty, darkangel0212, vivx-chan, Sweetie7smiled, I Am Number Seven,Termia, and DreamerHorse for your reviews! Much love!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I wanted to kind of give you an idea of what her head space was like right now. I also wanted you to get to know the other Skirts, as they will be going with Bella to Hogwarts for the TWT, er, I guess it will be the Quad Wizard Tournament, now.

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**

**I have been going back and forth about whether I want to bring Leah into the pack. There aren't many characters who share my name, and I hate that when I finally did see a character named Leah, she was an uber bitch. I was thinking of having her join and be her bitchy self, and then having her imprint on Remus or Sirius. Remus would be my first choice, as they both have a wolf form. If you guys are set on Remus/Tonks, I could have her imprint on Sirius. Or I could just leave her out all together. Let me know what you think!**

**Also, after a question posed by Fire Bean Flower, I went back and added a paragraph to the previous chapter. It is right before Bella transformed for the wolves and explains how she never told Jake about her animal form, in case you were also wondering.**

**Thanks for reading! I hope you like this chapter!**

Chapter Ten:

The two remaining months of the summer flew by. My friends were doing all they could to keep me from wallowing in misery, and they were doing an excellent job of it. They kept me busy creating new charms for the "Fireworks" performance. Harley had owled Sandy right after they put on their show for me and the wolf pack to see if we could perform the song for the school at the welcome back feast. Sandy obtained permission from Headmaster Deveron, and we wanted to make it spectacular.

We also spent a lot of time studying the requirements of placing the concealment charm on a vampire. It was very complex, with a lot of moving parts. It would be very difficult and magically taxing, but over the course of a few weeks, we could get the charm placed on all the Cullens. If they came back.

I was wary about becoming too optimistic. Everyone else seemed to think I was being a Debbie Downer. The girls had watched the memory and said that the anguish was clear on Edward's face. That it was obvious he didn't want to leave. But he did leave. He's gone. I learned how to place the charm, but I wasn't going to hold my breath on ever seeing Edward again.

The highlight of my summer came when Caelen returned with a response from my dad. I could tell that he was proud of himself for finding Sirius and bringing me something from him. I untied the response from Caelen's leg with shaky fingers, and held my breath as I unrolled the parchment. It read:

_I recognize your handwriting from your other letter addressed to our mutual friend. Because of your letter he came to my aid in a potentially life threatening situation. I do not know who you are, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that there is someone out there who has always believed me incapable of such horrible treachery. It makes me feel less alone, and gives me hope. Perhaps one day I will be able to thank you in person, but for now this will have to do. Thank you. Truly. _

I read the note over and over again. Remy had helped him. Because of my letter. I was able to help my dad! Now I was giving him hope. Lifting his spirits. I ran to find my friends and showed them the letter. They were all very happy for me. Sammie mildly chastised me for sending Sirius an owl. She reminded me that I could have gotten Sirius caught.

I tried to look contrite, but I was too happy. I had faith in Caelen. He is a very smart owl. He would know if he was being tracked, and he wouldn't risk it. After memorizing every word, I sent the letter to my vault using the pouch. The letter gave me motivation to look to the future with an optimistic eye.

It is now a week before school starts back, and I'm taking the wolf pack, Skirts, Charlie and Phil to the Quidditch World Cup. I was able to get us great seats, and everyone was beside themselves with anticipation. Eleazar and his mate, Carmen, agreed to protect the reservation so the whole pack could come with us.

The pack had met Eleazar when he came down to test the shields. They were impenetrable to him. No matter how much force he used, he couldn't break through. The wolves were ecstatic. They didn't have to worry about their families sleeping at home while they were out patrolling. The wolves were grateful to him for coming all the way down to La Push to test the shields for them, and they took to him instantly. I think it threw Eleazar for a loop. He thought they'd be hostile, but they were very welcoming.

We spoke about Edward, and Eleazar agreed with the wolves and Skirts that Edward loved me. In fact, he said the Cullens had briefly stayed with them after their hasty exit from Forks. They were all miserable, even Rosalie, which was surprising. Edward wasn't with them. They said he had gone off to drown himself in his misery. Eleazar said that Alice saw him holed up in some dingy attic while he allowed his grief and loss to consume him. Jake looked smug at that. It broke my heart, though. I didn't want Edward to suffer. I must really love him if I'd rather him be happy after leaving me. I decided that if Edward didn't come back to look for me, I was going to find him after I found Peter. I can only rescue one man at a time, and Daddy was first in the queue.

After our discussion about the Cullens, Eleazar asked me about the Quidditch World Cup. The Skirts, Charlie, Phil and I were already going. I had been trying to decide how to ask the wolves, because I knew they'd all want to go. I knew they all couldn't leave the reservation, especially with Victoria sniffing around. How could I ask when someone had to stay behind? That was when Eleazar offered to protect the town with Carmen. He would tell her that the La Push wolves had some business they had to take care of out of town, but that the vampire who was after the Cullens and Edward's mate was still stalking the area, and he'd offered his services. He wouldn't even have to mention magic.

It was very surreal for the wolves to trust their town in the hands of vampires. The Cullens made them see that vampires are capable of humanity, and that if a vampire was willing to suffer through the denial of human blood, they couldn't all be the heartless enemy of Quillette legend. The Cullens had spoken of Eleazar's coven to the wolves before, and that, along with the fact that I'd known Eleazar since I was 13, helped ease the wolves' minds.

It is early morning and everyone has gathered at Charlie's. We are actually portkeying from Edward's meadow. I feel very strange going there, and I don't know how I'll take seeing that place without him. We decided to tell Charlie and Phil that we were all shape shifters so that we won't have to travel at human pace. The wolves will have to run at a regular wolf pace, but we'll still get there faster than if we were traveling on two legs. Charlie and Phil are going to ride a wolf. You should have seen Charlie riding Jacob! The look on his face was priceless as he held onto the giant wolf for dear life. I will definitely have to pensieve this memory for posterity.

Arriving at the meadow wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Without Edward, it's just another meadow. Beautiful, yes, but empty. Just a place. We all began searching for the portkey item left by ministry officials. As we turned out to be the only group meeting in the meadow, it was just the twelve of us gathered around the old tire when I felt the hook at the back of my navel pulling me to our new destination. I was going back to England.

The girls and I smirked down at the men sprawled across the field in which we landed. They all scowled at us as they scrambled to pull themselves into an upright position. We made our way to the officials logging in arrivals. They told us where we could find our campsite, and we tried not to laugh at them. The wolves may have failed a bit in their attempts. These people obviously decided that Muggle Studies didn't have merit. Their attire was quite comical.

While we made our way to the first campground I warned the wolves and muggles that they'd likely be seeing more failed attempts at appearing muggle. I was right. There were ostentatious tents that clearly had fireplaces, as they had chimneys coming out of them. There also men in moo-moos and various ladies' dresses. Apparently this was an acceptable alternative to a wizard's robe. Even I had trouble holding in my giggles at that. We finally made it to a site that had a sign reading "Swan." It was right next to a sign that read "Weezly." The girls and I looked at each other. Could our tent be next to the Weasley's? What if Harry is with them?

"If it's them, let's just act normal." I whispered to the Skirts. Unfortunately I was surrounded by bloody shape shifting wolves.

"If it's who, Bella?" Jake asked.

Damn wolf hearing! "It's nothing, Jake. We're just wondering if the tent next to us is someone famous. I don't want us to make a fool of ourselves if it is. You know, we should just act normal." It wasn't really a lie. Harry Potter _is_ famous. He's also my first friend, and it is widely believed that my father handed his parents over to be murdered. I didn't want to get into that, though.

He seemed appeased at my explanation and dropped it. We then turned to pitching the tent. We weren't supposed to use magic in the open, as there are muggles around. I for one thought it was a lost cause. A lot of wizards don't even realize they're doing something magical. If they haven't been around muggles, there's no way they'll be able to conceal themselves. All you have to do is look around and it is painfully obvious. Nevertheless, I had 6 shape shifting wolves with me that were not supposed to know about magic, so the men put up our tent the muggle way without complaint.

Well, there were no complaints until the tent was erected. Then there were plenty to go around. The tent _did_ look practically haggard on the outside. I told them to stop their bitching and get in already. I went first so that I could witness their faces when they saw the inside. I was met with gasp after gasp. I had spared no expense on this baby.

It is a full blown mansion. There are fifteen bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. There is an indoor swimming pool, and I turned one of the great rooms into a game room that includes pool tables, foosball and a bowling alley. I know how the others are feeling, as my mind was similarly blown the first time I stepped in the thing.

Charlie turned to me, "Bella. How on Earth can you afford something like this?"

I was prepared for the question this time, eager to prove to Harley that I was no amateur. "Well, I always wondered why Sandy didn't want me to know how much money was available in the stipend provided by my scholarship. The girls and I were curious, so we came up with a spell that would help us figure out just how much money was in the vault for my personal use. It turns out, it's a lot. The money I didn't use each year was added to the following year, and I've amassed quite a lot of funds that will only be available to me until I graduate. I decided to spend it all so that I could sell some things and start off my post school life with a bit of gold."

The girls smirked at me, and Harley minutely raised her head in acknowledgment. Ha! Amateur, my ass! I wasn't ready to tell them that Sirius Black is my father and that the money in the vault belongs to me, as Sirius had been on the muggle news in America. Charlie, being a police chief, had undoubtedly heard about him. Now I could tell Charlie and Renee that the girls and I were going to do a bit of travelling before starting our higher education. I could explain where I got the money for the trip, and we could go on our search for Peter without much fuss.

Charlie wasn't as impressed. "That's not very honest, Bella. The money was provided so that you could get the best education possible. You're using the money for something that goes beyond the scope of its purpose."

Damnit! Think fast, Bella. Perhaps I can give him a hint of our fake future plans to ease his conscience. "I don't really see it that way. The girls and I are planning to go travelling for a bit after we graduate from Salem. We're going to explore the world and try to learn new ways to perform magic. As you said, the money was provided to give me the best education possible. Well, the best education doesn't just end when you leave school."

I looked to him hopefully and he seemed to be seeing things my way. "Alright, Bella. I still don't think it is it the most honest use of the money, but if you're using it to continue learning, I guess I can live with that."

I smiled gratefully at him, and gave the group an official tour. We spent the next few hours swimming and enjoying the game room before venturing outside the tent. The space for the "Weezly's" was no longer empty, and there was a group of redheads sitting outside by a fire pit talking to some officials. They were joined by a boy with a shock of black messy hair and a pretty girl with a mane of bushy brown hair.

My heart started beating double time. Harry. It's Harry. I could feel the moisture gathering in my eyes at the sight of him. Merlin, he looks just like Uncle Jamie. Well, except for his eyes. He has his mother's eyes.

One of the officials noticed our group, probably because of the members of the pack. They tend to stand out because of their size. Although you'd think in a world where giants actually exist, six huge man boys would be able to go unnoticed. No such luck.

The man was eying us all skeptically. He approached us and pointed to the Quillettes. "You aren't wizards. Neither are you." Now he pointed to Charlie and Phil. "Why are you here? Who's brought you?"

I stepped forward. "I brought them, sir. This is my father and step-father." I gestured toward Charlie and Phil before turning to the pack. "These are my friends from home. After I explained Quidditch to them they wanted to see a game. What better than the World Cup?"

The man was incensed. He approached me and started screaming (and spitting, as it were) in my face. "You have broken the law! These boys are not your relatives, they should not have been told of magic! I'll have you arrested! You'll be thrown to the Dementors!"

His words were answered by the deep growling of the six wolves that had crowded around me during the man's rant. Jake couldn't handle the threat and started backing away, shaking violently.

I turned to him quickly, but kept my distance. "Jake, it's okay! I'll explain everything; I won't be taken away. You need to calm yourself."

"Barty, the girl is right. Let's listen to her before you go making such serious threats."

"She has broken the cardinal rule, Ludo! Here we are doing everything we can to keep the knowledge of our world from the muggles during this event, and this stupid little girl has just gone and told six young boys! As a member of the Wizengamot, it is within my authority to have her arrested!"

Jake lost it at that and phased into his giant wolf form. Both Barty and Ludo backed away slowly as Jake made his way to me. He placed himself between me and my accuser. Sam smirked. "I believe that is Jake's way of telling you that he'd like to see you try, Mr. …"

Our friend Barty was a big distracted by Jake's giant teeth that were currently bared at him. "Crouch. He's Barty Crouch. I'm Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Games and Magical Sports for the British ministry. It seems there is an explanation to be had, so why don't you join us over here for tea. You don't mind, do you Arthur?" He asked red headed man staring delightedly at Jake.

"Of course not, Ludo. The more the merrier."

I asked Charlie and Phil to wait in the tent, as I was going to have to lie through my teeth and I didn't want them to think that my story was true. They'd freak out before I could finish it. I told them that I was going to be discussing things that couldn't be discussed in front of muggles. They begrudgingly went back to the tent after ordering the pack to protect me.

Mr. Crouch remained a respectable distance from me as I sat down to join the Weasleys. Jake sat back on his haunches, not leaving my side. I tried not to stare at Harry, but it was difficult. I could still picture him at age one riding around on Padfoot with his little baby giggle ringing through the air.

I cleared my throat and turned my attention to Mr. Crouch. I put on my most potent innocent face and started my tale. I would use a mix of fact and fiction to appease the angry git. "You see, Mr. Crouch, the boys here are spirit warriors. They are members of the Quillette tribe in America. Many years ago their village was attacked by vampires." Everyone gasped. Vampires were quite feared in the magical world. "They killed many people, and the spirit warriors turned into wolves that could protect the village and go after the "cold ones" that attacked them."

There were more gasps and many shocked eyes darting around all the members of the pack. "You can kill vampires?" This was asked by the bushy haired witch. At the pack's nod her voice changed into the tone you'd expect to hear in a lecture. "But that's not possible. Vampires are impenetrable to all but the most complex magic. Even then, you can't simply cast a spell on them. You have to use many different forms of magic on them at once. It is very difficult. Their skin is also harder than that of a dragon!" Her pitch started travelling higher throughout her explanation. "A giant wouldn't even be able to rip them apart. The only way a non-vampire can kill them is to use Fiendfyre, and that's very dangerous!"

"They are built to fight vampires, erm…"

"Hermione." She answered.

I smiled in response. Now for the lies. "They are built to fight them, Hermione. I have seen it myself. I was hiking in the woods alone when I was attacked by a vampire." More gasps. Don't worry, I internally smirked. It didn't really happen, and I fully intend for this little story to have a HEA. "I tried to fend her off using magic. I was able to shield myself so she couldn't get to me. I couldn't hold it up indefinitely, though, and I couldn't apparate while my magic was focused on the shield. If I let the shield down she'd get me before I could leave. They're quite fast." Everyone snorted. Yes, I know it's a massive understatement.

"I was desperate, but too afraid to use Fiendfyre. As you stated, Hermione, it is quite dangerous. I know the general theory on it, but the thought of using it practically has never even crossed my mind." I glanced at the girls when I stated this and they all looked stoic. Not even a twitch. Good girls.

"I was trying to think of other ways to get away when the wolves showed up. I watched as they fought the vampire. They actually started toying with her a bit, and it backfired. The russet colored wolf," I looked to Jacob, "was hurt. He let out a cry and backed away while the rest of his pack quickly tore the vampire to shreds. The black wolf," I looked to Sam, "transformed back into a human and lit the dismembered vampire on fire."

Our new British friends were all staring at the pack with undisguised awe. They squirmed, uncomfortable at the scrutiny. The girls were looking at me seriously, but I could see the mirth in their eyes. They were enjoying my story.

"The hurt wolf then transformed back into a human. I realized it was my friend, Jake. Jake has known that I was a witch since I turned 11. Professor Sanderson of the Salem Institute for Witches allowed me to tell him as he is practically my brother." I absentmindedly stroked Jacob's fur. "She performed the concealment charm on him to keep the knowledge safe. Anyway, when I saw it was Jake I ran to him. The vampire had broken a few of his ribs and he was having difficulties breathing. I didn't hesitate, sir. I pulled out my wand and healed him. When the pain left his features and his breathing evened out the rest of the wolves demanded an explanation. They'd just saved my life. I wasn't going to risk their minds with an Obliviate, but I did know how to perform the concealment charm that Jake had received all those years ago. I told them the truth about myself, and then placed the charm. They are not able to share the secret of magic, sir. Even if they were, you can see that they are magical creatures themselves. The secrecy is just as important to them as it is to us."

After hearing my story, Mr. Crouch was noticeably less hostile. "I'm sorry for my reaction Miss…"

"Swan, Sir. Bella Swan."

"Well, Miss Swan. Please forgive my rudeness. I have been having a very difficult time keeping the knowledge of magic away from the muggles who run the campground, and seeing you so cavalier about informing muggles about our world was the last straw. I apologize for my outburst."

"It's fine, sir. I understand that putting on an event of this magnitude must be very trying. I'd probably go off on people, too." I smiled at him.

"Yes well, we better get going. Ludo?"

"Yes, yes. What a wonderful tale, Miss Swan. It was a pleasure to meet you and the pack, but we must take our leave."

After they departed Jacob transformed back into a human. I had figured out how to allow the wolves to transform without losing their clothes. I was actually inspired by my study of banishing the Fiendfyre into non-existence. The fire is there, it's just waiting to be called back into existence. I placed a charm on all the wolves' clothes that would send them into non-existence whenever they phased, and then back in place when the transformed back. They no longer had to worry about showing off their bits when they transformed.

Arthur Weasley then introduced his family, as well as Harry and Hermione. I returned the favor by introducing the Skirts and wolves. We chatted for a few minutes about where we're from, what school we go to and who we want to win the Cup. I was furiously looking for any evidence of Peter while we engaged in pleasantries. I couldn't find any, and I was having a _very_ difficult time being so close to Harry. He used to be my best friend. He was my very _first_ friend, and a connection to my father. Our lives have been met with so much tragedy since we last saw each other. I just wanted to hug him. Tell him I miss him. I decided to take my leave and retreated back to the tent stating I wanted to nap before the game. The rest of our group followed suit and we said our goodbyes.

When we got back to the tent, we saw that Charlie and Phil had made us lunch. I really hope it was more Phil than Charlie. Hmm…it tastes pretty good, so I'd say Phil was the main preparer. After finishing our meals and assuring Charlie and Phil that we worked everything out with the British officials, we decided that a nap wasn't such a bad idea. The game wouldn't start for a few hours and there was no telling how long it would last.

A few hours later we'd all left the tent covered in war paint. Our group was split down gender lines. The boys liked Bulgaria, especially Viktor Krum. The Skirts were going for Ireland. Harley and I were especially excited to see the Ireland chasers. They are some of the best in the world.

When we got to our seats, we were sitting next to a family introduced as the Malfoys. I knew who they were. Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, my second cousin. Draco Malfoy, my third cousin. Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater. He had claimed that he was under the Imperius curse, but I call bullshit. The man was a dark wizard. I could see it. So could the other Skirts. They were eying him nervously. _I_ was nervous at the way Narcissa studied me when we were introduced. I was suddenly wishing I had come up with a different name to tell these people. Bella isn't exactly a leap to Isabella.

It was my eyes that intrigued her, though. I could see it. They look just like Sirius'. Just like hers. I tried to act normal, and I must have succeeded. She shook her head and looked away from me, mumbling something under her breath. I turned to Jake after their attention turned back to their own family. "What did she say under her breath?"

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "It was weird. She said, 'Don't be ludicrous, Narcissa. The girl is dead.'"

I sighed in relief at that. Jake shot me a questioning glance, but I shook my head at him. I didn't want to get into that with him. I was very grateful that Regulus had thought to stage my death so the Death Eaters would also assume I was dead. It was one of the memories I'd recovered after the blocking charm faded away. Regulus had drawn some of my blood and magically multiplied it. Then he smeared it around the bed before setting an animal carcass in it and burning it to ash. I shuddered. I'm glad I didn't remember that one until I was older. Talk about nightmares.

Shortly after this exchange the game began. It was an exciting match. The Irish chasers were astounding. They were racking up points so fast, they made the seekers practically irrelevant. It wouldn't matter who caught the snitch. Ireland had this one in the bag! The game ended when Krum caught the snitch, but it didn't matter. Ireland won!

The wolves were transcendent, even though their team lost. They _loved_ Quidditch. I imagine it will be hard to go back to baseball, now. We were celebrating in our tent when we heard explosions. Fireworks!

Running outside we were met with horror. People were screaming and running around. There were no fireworks, just regular old explosions. There were masked men holding the muggle campground workers in the air while torturing them. I grabbed the program from the game out of my back pocket and shoved it in Charlie's hands. "I'm going to turn this into a portkey. You all need to leave. Now."

"We're not leaving without you, Bella." Jake said, while the other wolves and my Skirts nodded in agreement. I groaned in frustration.

"I have to make sure Harry is okay. I can't let anything happen to him." I couldn't leave without knowing he was safe. He might not remember me, but I remember him. He's my friend, my family, and I _will _protect him.

Sam responded, talking quickly while his body shook, "Bella, it is our job to protect human life. It doesn't matter if we're protecting them from vampires or other humans. They are torturing those people, Bella. We're staying."

"Fine." I turned to Phil and Charlie, who was still holding the program. "Don't argue with me, I don't have time. Grab the program, Phil." He looked like he was going to argue, but at my stern expression he resignedly touched the program. "Portus," and they were off.

I turned to the others, and the wolves were already transformed. I mounted Jake while the others picked a wolf to ride. "You have excellent reflexes, sharp enough to fight a vampire. Don't get hit by any light coming your way. Jake, let's find Harry."

We all went running in different directions and Jake and I eventually found a lone Harry lying on the ground searching for his glasses. "Accio Harry's glasses." His glasses came flying into my hand. "Here you go, Harry, we need to get out of here. Hop on."

"Bella? What's happening? I can't find my wand."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Harry! Accio Harry's wand." Nothing. "It's not around here, Harry. Look, we'll find it later. The men are getting closer. We need to get away."

Harry finally agreed and hopped on Jacob's back. He grabbed my waist to steady himself as Jacob took off in search of the others. We met up with them in a wooded area, and everything seemed to have calmed down. The tortured muggles were secured to the wolves' backs and the girls were hovered over them trying to heal any wounds. We moved them to the ground to inspect them further. They were suffering from after effects off the Cruciatus, the torture curse. Unfortunately, the Cruciatus curse didn't have a treatment. Their muscles and nerves would have to calm down on their own. There were a few superficial injuries that were self-inflicted from when their bodies thrashed under the curse, but it made the girls feel better to be of some help.

I heard a rustling sound, and the wolves' heads whipped around with their ears perked toward the noise. Suddenly we heard a cry of "Morsmordre!" The spell was followed immediately by a faint _pop_ as the sky filled with the terrible sight of the Dark Mark.

Hermione and Ron ran up to us just as the spell hit the sky and all the girls were frozen in horror. The next thing we knew, we were surrounded by aurors with their wands drawn. Shit.

"Who conjured it?" Came the hysterical cry from our new friend, Mr. Crouch. Another auror stepped forward brandishing a wand.

"This is the wand that cast it, sir."

Harry piped in helpfully, "That's my wand, sir."

I elbowed him and narrowed my eyes, telling him wordlessly to _shut up_.

"You, you conjured the Dark Mark!" He moved his wand so that it was pointed directly at Harry's chest. Oh. Hell. No. I took a step and planted myself in front of him. No one threatens my family. At this point Arthur Weasley pushed through the aurors to gather up his children.

"Harry Potter conjure the Dark Mark, Barty? Be realistic! There is no way any of these children could conjure the Mark."

I took over for Mr. Weasley. "Sir, please. Mr. Weasley is right. Harry did no such thing. My friends and the wolves went to help the muggles. They were able to get them away from those masked men, and we met them back here. We've been trying to heal them, but it looks like the Cruciatus. Harry told me he couldn't find his wand when I found him, sir. It wasn't him. We heard a rustling noise over there," I pointed, "Just before we heard the incantation and subsequent apparition _pop_."

Jake transformed back into a human and explained things that I couldn't see. "Sir, my pack and I have improved sight, and we could see the man who conjured that thing in the sky. He was white, moderate height, lean with a pointed face and black hair. He had some sort of creature with him. I'm not sure what it was." He screwed up his face in obvious confusion. "It was only about two feet high, with huge ears and eyes that bugged out of its head."

"House Elf," was the response from every witch and wizard present.

"Very well. Arthur, Miss Swan, you need to get your children and associates out of here so we can investigate and get these muggles sorted out."

"Of course, sir." I responded, but I had a question before we left. "Do you have any idea who those men were?"

"Death Eaters. Probably led by Sirius Black."

The Skirts and I tensed, but I also noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione tense as well. I know my friends and I reacted that way because we were pissed at the accusation. I wonder what the explanation is for Harry's reaction. Could it be that Remy convinced Harry that my father was innocent, and the accusation makes him just as angry as me, or is it because he believes Sirius to be the person who destroyed his life? Until I could answer that question I couldn't risk telling Harry my identity.

My jaw was tensed as I responded, "Fine, sir. We'll just take our leave, then. It was nice meeting you, Harry, Hermione, Weasleys."

I grabbed a small fallen branch and my friends gathered around. "Portus." Within moments we were standing in the woods behind Charlie's house. I didn't notice that Charlie and Phil were there, awaiting our arrival. I didn't even register the fact that the wolves were there. I was so incensed I just started cursing. Creatively. No one standing in those woods would have any questions about my feelings towards one Mr. Barty Crouch.

When the topic of my rant was clearly about to move to Sirius, the Skirts tried to silence me…literally. They placed a silencing spell over me. It just infuriated me further and I cast the finite and continued my rant. "You will not silence me! How dare that piece of _shit_ accuse my father of leading the Death Eater attack? Are they just going to start blaming him for everything now? How convenient it must be to have their own personal scapegoat!" I continued in a mocking voice. "'_Oh, no. Someone clogged the toilet in the fifth floor ministry bathroom. It has to have been _Sirius Black_!' … 'Can you believe that someone went in the kitchen and ate the lunch my wife packed me? It had my name on it and everything!' 'Oh, really? How awful. I bet it was that _Sirius Black_!'_"

My furious pacing came to an abrupt halt when I ran into Charlie. He steadied me before I fell, and I looked up into a set of serious brown eyes. "Your father is Sirius Black? The escaped mass murderer from London? And he's a wizard?"

I bristled. I love Charlie, but calling my father a murderer is a bit of a sore spot. I tore away from his grasp and defended my biological father to my adoptive one. "He is not a murderer!" I yelled. "He was framed!"

"It's true, sir." Nicole interjected. "Bella has believed in Sirius' innocence since she found out he was her father. She has memories of him and his friends, you know. One of them is an animagus, like us. His animal form is a rat. It was Bella's theory that Peter was the real murderer, but that he'd cut off his own finger and changed into his animal form so that he could fake his own death and everyone would think it was Sirius."

"That is very farfetched, Bella. You are trying to redeem an unredeemable man because he is your father."

I was enraged. My magic was swirling around me furiously, begging me to hex Charlie into oblivion. I started chanting in my mind. _You will not hex Charlie, you love him. You will not hex Charlie, you love him. You love him. You love him._

Nicole continued when it became clear I was close to losing control of my magic. "Sir, I understand that it is difficult to believe. I had heard of Sirius Black before I knew he was Bella's father, and I was skeptical at first. However, when she explained her theory it was just as viable as the one widely believed. I could see the unwavering belief of Sirius' innocence in Bella's eyes, and I believed it, too. A few months ago we were looking for a reason Sirius would target Hogwarts School, as he'd broken in a few times. He seemed to be after something. We found an article from last summer, just before he escaped, with a picture of a rat sitting on the shoulder of the Ron Weasley boy we met today. Bella recognized his animal form, having seen it before. It was only further confirmed when we saw his front paw was missing a toe."

Sammie stepped forward to help Nicole's explanation. "Sir, I know this is difficult to believe. The thing you have to understand is that the magical world presents different opportunities for both good and evil than the muggle world. If you were investigating a case where Bella was accused of murdering someone, would you take the evidence at face value, or would you look deeper? Would it matter that evidence was circumstantial if it supported your claim, no matter how farfetched?"

Harley nudged Sammie, "You watch way too many Law & Order marathons on your summer breaks."

Sammie smirked. "What can I say? I totally have a thing for Detective Goren."

Harley, Nic and I wrinkled our noses and stated simultaneously, "Ew."

We all broke into giggles at that and I was again very grateful to have the girls in my life. They knew just how to calm me. I turned toward Charlie and saw that he was thinking over everything said. "It's true, Charlie. Sirius is innocent. I _know_ he is. There isn't one single doubt in my mind. I remember him. I know him, his heart. He is a good man who was betrayed in the worst possible way by someone he trusted. Please, Charlie, believe me."

I knew the moment that Charlie relented. His shoulders slumped slightly as the fight left him. I lunged myself at him. "Thank you Charlie! I love you!"

He wasn't too comfortable with the touchy feely emotional stuff, so he patted my back awkwardly and assured me he loved me too. With Charlie coming to my side, the others followed. I'm really glad the girls left out the whole Voldemort/Regulus/Potters portion of the story. I'm not sure how Charlie would have handled ALL the information regarding my past.

The wolves took off and the girls apparated to their houses. I was going to spend this last week before school with Charlie and the wolves. Charlie stopped me as we were walking into the house and eyed me speculatively. "There is no scholarship. The money in the vault belonged to Sirius, and now you."

It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. "Good. Now I don't have to feel guilty that you're misusing scholarship funds." He then winked at me. Winked! I just laughed and followed him in the house. It was going to be really hard to say goodbye to them this year.

A/N:

Big thaks to bloody alana, Fire Bean Flower, shellbob, RiTuXa, Termia, vivx-chan, and carj89 for your reviews! I really appreciate them!

So we finally met Harry Potter! The next chapter will take us to Hogwarts where we will see more of the Harry Potter characters.

Please let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven:

Summer is now over and we are returning to Salem for our final year. The letter from Sirius made all The Skirts anxious to get on with our search for Peter. I even considered skipping my seventh year all together, but the girls talked me out of it. My father was out of Azkaban and had Remus on his side. He would be okay for another year, and he'd want me to finish my education. They were right, of course. I was just sick of the inaction. I had been waiting for the moment I could prove my father was innocent since I was 11 years old.

The Skirts and I arrived a little early so we could set up for our "Fireworks" performance. There wasn't much prep, really, just placing small objects that we could use in our transfigurations. If you are skilled enough you can pretty much use anything as a base for the object you're trying to produce. But you can't transfigure something out of nothing.

Shortly after our preparations were complete the mess hall started filling up with hundreds of Salem witches. After the Headmaster announced us, we started the music and Harley, Nic and I performed the visuals while Sammie sung the lyrics. When the last firework went out the applause in the hall was deafening. You know you've done something well when even your most dour professors give you a standing ovation.

It took a good five minutes for the room to quite down. Afterwards Headmaster Deveron took the podium for his start of term speech. "Welcome back students! And thank you, Bella, Harley, Nicole and Samantha for that wonderful performance. It was a truly amazing display of how masterful you four are in your magic. I believe that you developed many of those charms and transfigurations yourself?" At our nods he continued. "Absolutely brilliant, ladies! I couldn't be more proud of you!" We all beamed at the praise.

"Now, I want to tell you about an exciting event that will be taking place this year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I shot the girls a look but they were all just as curious as me. What's going on at Hogwarts? "They will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament. Now, this competition has historically been held for students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. However, I have petitioned the Head of Games and Magical Sports at the British Ministry for Magic and convinced him to allow Salem into the competition!"

Excited murmurs broke out across the room. I looked over to my friends with a brilliant smile lighting up my face. My expression was mirrored on all their faces. Nicole stated what we were all thinking. "We're so going." Hell yes, we are!

I turned back around as Headmaster Deveron continued. "We will be holding trials over the next week to determine which students will be representing our school. There will be four students chosen, and per the rules set by the ministry, only seventh year students are allowed to compete."

There were disappointed grumbles heard around the room and many faces turned toward the Salem Skirts. That's right, bitches. This one's ours. "The chosen four will be travelling to Hogwarts at the end of this month. The rules for submitting your name as a competitor will be explained upon arrival. While only one of you will actually compete, the three remaining students will stay at Hogwarts to cheer on your classmate. Now, Professor Sanderson will be taking the chosen students, and they will be gone for the entire year. Please keep this in mind when you decide to try out. Your last year of schooling will not take place at Salem. You will also have to sit for your NEWTS at the end of the year, so you must be able to balance the demands of the tournament with your schooling. We have gotten a substitute Potions professor to take over Professor Sanderson's classes while she's away. I wish you all the best of luck!"

I turned back to my friends as the start of term feast filled the table. "This is so exciting!" I exclaimed.

"I know!" They all chorused. "Look at the Headmaster," Harley continued, "He knows it's going to be us." Sure enough the Headmaster was smiling down at us. He nodded and winked when he noticed he had our attention. We broke down into a fit of giggles and started stuffing our faces. Mmmm…I've missed house elf cooking. Nothing compares.

The week of trials was very difficult. The professors had set up truly challenging tasks. There were advanced transfigurations, dangerous magical creatures, complex potions and various dark magic to fight. There were also physical challenges. We had to prove that we could run long distances, jump, swim, and climb walls. At the end of a long obstacle course that demanded all of our physicality and magical prowess, we had to solve logic puzzles. It is very difficult to reason through a logic puzzle when you are physically drained. Have our professors been watching the Real World/Road Rules Challenges?

By the end of the week all the remaining competitors were completely exhausted physically, mentally and magically. The tournament was going to be a piece of cake after what we'd been through. It was worth it, though, because the very next morning the results were posted.

_SALEM INSTITUTE TRIWIZARD COMPETITORS_

_Isabella Swan_

_Nicole Pattinson_

_Harley Timberlake_

_Samantha Lautner_

We were thrilled! This was going to be our greatest adventure yet. It would also allow us to make contacts in Britain. This would help us immensely in our search for that no good rat. The girls and I immediately started brainstorming spells that might be useful in the tournament. We had invented a fair few in our time at Salem, so we thought we might have an edge. It was all just a big question mark, though. Until we knew the tasks it would be very difficult to really plan.

Later that afternoon we were approached by Sandy. "Congratulations, ladies! It was no surprise that you four were chosen, of course. I was very impressed by your trials, though. You all did outstanding. Much better than any of your professors imagined."

We all preened under the praise. "Thank you, Professor," we chorused.

She smiled fondly at us before continuing. "Now, Hogwarts asked each school to put on a little display of magic for our introduction to Hogwarts. I was thinking that you four could perform "Fireworks" for Hogwarts, maybe catering the explosions to their school like you did to Salem. Would it be too difficult to change the fireworks?"

We all began bouncing with excitement. "No, Professor!" Sammie exclaimed. "It won't be a problem at all. We'll work it all out!" The rest of us enthusiatically nodded our heads in agreement.

"Excellent!" She moved her hand lightly through my hair while smiling at the four of us. "I'm so proud of you girls. Never in my years of teaching have I seen four better students…or friends."

We all teared up and shared a girly group hug. "Thank you, Sandy," I said.

She playfully scowled at me. "You can't call me that in front of anyone else, young lady. You'll have me accused of favoritism."

"But we _are_ your favorites." I smiled innocently while batting my lashes.

"You are incorrigible, Bella." She laughed lightly as she walked away.

"You know you love me!" I shouted after her.

The girls and I spent the next few weeks preparing for the tournament and figuring out how we wanted to change the fireworks in our performance to represent Hogwarts. We were packing our trunks into the plane before we knew it.

The plane looked like a muggle jet, but it was run by magic. It also used magical space inside the plane, just like my tent. The inside was spectacular. We each had a bedroom and there was enough space to live comfortably for the year, which was the original plan. We requested to stay in the castle. This was a whole new world opened to us, and we wanted to take full advantage, not be stuck inside an admittedly awesome airplane. I also wanted to get to know the school that my father attended for seven years.

The flight was surprisingly short, and we were landing in Scotland a mere two hours after taking off. A giant man greeted us when we arrived. And I mean seriously giant. Like he had giant blood in him.

"Hello! Welcome to Hogwarts! Me name's Rubeus Hagrid, and I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, as well as Professor of Care of Magical Creatures! You can call me Hagrid. Please follow me, and I'll lead ya up to the castle." To say that we were awed at the sight of the school would be a massive understatement. It was…magical. I know that sounds stupid, but that's the best way I can describe it. You didn't need to have magic to see that this castle was special. It promised secrets and intrigue.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Yeah," my friends agreed.

"Beautiful, ain't it? I remember the first time I laid me eyes on Hogwarts. Takes yer breath away."

We all nodded in agreement and followed Hagrid into the castle. He led us through the entrance hall into what looked like their mess hall.

"This is the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore said you needed to set things up for your entrance tonight. Please hurry, the classes will be out in twenty minutes and I'd like us to make it to the Headmaster's office before the halls are overrun with students."

"Of course," Sammie replied. After a few moments of admiring the ceiling, which was bewitched to look like the sky, we quickly placed the stones we would be using in our transfigurations in strategic areas of the hall. We'd been given a floor plan, and told which house belonged to each table. We put a charm on the stones so that no one except one of us could move them. If someone else tried they'd receive a nasty shock. Hehe.

After finishing our preparations we rejoined Hagrid and Sandy at the front of the hall. "All done then?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent, I'll just be taking you to the Headmaster, then."

"Thank you, sir."

He seemed to be very pleased that we were so polite to him. I wondered if some of the students were rude to him because of his appearance. The thought caused my righteous indignation flare up. He seemed like a nice man. I didn't like the idea of people disrespecting a professor just because he may be part giant.

We came to a hallway that housed two stone gargoyles. "Acid pops," stated Hagrid. At the words the two gargoyles moved aside and allowed us passage. Awesome! My friends were also smiling excitedly. This place was spectacular!

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I have the students and professor from Salem."

Albus Dumbledore was an elderly man, but I could feel the power radiating off him. This man was a powerful wizard. No doubt about it. I had read that he defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald, and standing in his presence it wasn't surprising. I was very impressed with him.

He smiled at us with a twinkle in the crystal clear blue eyes behind his half moon spectacles. "Welcome students, Professor Sanderson! We are so pleased to introduce the Americans to the tournament. Please have a seat."

We obliged and Professor Sanderson introduced the four of us. He seemed to eye me keenly when my introduction came up, but he moved his eyes away from me moments later, shaking his head. Merlin's pants, am I going to have to deal with this all the time now that I'm in the UK? Perhaps I should glamour my eyes.

"I understand that you ladies wish to stay in the castle and attend Hogwarts classes?"

I answered for us. "That's correct, Headmaster. We are so excited and grateful for you allowing us to come to your school and compete in the tournament. We really want to experience this amazing place while we're here. We also thought it would be a great learning experience to attend classes with your professors. They might give us a different perspective than we've had for the last six years. We don't like to limit ourselves to one way of thinking. We'd be honored if you'd give us this opportunity."

He seemed impressed. "How wonderful! You don't often see young people acknowledge that their way of thinking might not be the best or only way. It's quite refreshing." He beamed at us. "I'd likewise be honored if you four would attend lessons here at Hogwarts, if it's alright with Professor Sanderson, of course." At Sandy's nod he continued. "Our professors will give you progress reports, Professor, so you can keep up with what they're learning and make sure it is satisfactory to Salem's standards."

"Thank you, Headmaster. I don't think we'll have a problem." Sandy responded.

"Too right, Professor. I think it will work out splendidly." The door opened at this and a stern woman in green robes entered the office. "Ah, Professor McGonagall. These are our guests from America! They will be staying in the castle and attending Hogwarts classes. Please ask our Head Girl to give them a tour and show them to the guest rooms in the fourth floor corridor. The password to their rooms is "Wolf Pack."

Our heads spun toward the Headmaster, and he chuckled. "I heard about your friends and their help during the attacks at the World Cup. I am very grateful to you and your friends for helping those muggles and keeping Harry safe. Have a nice evening. You will be introduced at 6:00 in the Great Hall."

We smiled back at him, "Thank you, Professor."

Professor McGonagall led us to a portrait on the fifth floor and asked the woman in the frame to please fetch Katie. A few moments later the portrait swung open and a girl stepped out. This place is so cool.

"Katie, these are the students from the Salem Institute. Please give them a tour of the castle and show them to the guest suite in the fourth floor corridor." She turned to us. "Ladies, this is Katie Bell. She is Hogwarts' Head Girl. If you need any further assistance you can come to her. Good day." Well, she's cheery.

We smiled at Katie and she reassured us. "Don't worry about her. She's like that with everyone."

We smiled gratefully and followed Katie as she explained the intricacies of the castle. This place truly was something special. If I hadn't gotten three best friends from Salem, I might actually regret not coming here. We had a year to spend here, though. And I was getting to spend it with my girls.

The tour ate up most of the afternoon, and we only had about an hour to prepare ourselves for our grand entrance. We really wanted the students here to enjoy it, and we were unsure what the other schools prepared.

It was finally time to make it down to the Great Hall, and we were practically buzzing with nervous energy. Dumbledore called Durmstrang first. All they did was some gymnastics with staffs that emitted sparks when you hit them on the ground. Not all that impressive for a magical school. Beauxbatons was even worse. Really? All they did was flit down the middle aisle while using their veela charm and making birds flutter about.

I looked to my friends and saw the questioning looks on their faces as well. Harley looked the most nervous. "Erm…ours is going to be a bit of a production compared to them, yeah? Do you think we went overboard?"

I thought about it a moment before responding. "No. They asked us to come up with a performance to introduce ourselves to the school. That's what we did. It's not our fault the other schools went with something lame. The US has never been represented in this tournament before, and by Merlin we're going to show them we belong here!" The girls smiled widely and nodded in agreement.

We heard our school's introduction and we confidently walked through the giant double doors. We were wearing similar silver dresses to the one Katy Perry wears in the video. Ours were just shorter, ending just above the knee.

As soon as we walked through the door the music started playing. Sammie started walking toward the center of the aisle and the three of us fanned out. We each put smallish sparkling fireworks, about the size of a beach ball, down the center of the house tables in their colors. Slytherins got green and silver sparkles, Gryffindor got red and gold, Ravenclaw got blue and bronze, while Hufflepuff had yellow and black.

The students were alarmed at first, but soon realized that the sparkles wouldn't hurt them. They all seemed excited for our performance after that.

Sammie started singing…

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind wanting to start again?"

_I used my wand to guide a giant plastic bag flying through the crowd of students. It had been charmed so that each student would see their own face reflected on the surface of the bag._

"Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin, like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?"

_Harley again erected the giant house of cards and sent a gust of wind to blow them around the room. Nicole then transfigured the cards into tiny sparkles in the dominant colors of each house._

"Do you ever feel already buried deep, six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing,"

_Sammie fell backwards and Harley threw a cushioning charm under her while I erected a six foot wall of dirt around her, boxing her in, with stairs for her to climb up on the inside, and another set to climb back down on the other. She started climbing out of the hole I'd erected while singing the next line._

"Do you know there's still a chance for you, cause there's a spark in you. You just got to ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night like the fourth of July."

_Nic vanished the dirt and stairs and we all increased the fireworks above the house tables._

"Cause baby you're a firework! Come on show 'em what your worth. Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' as you shoot across the sky, sky sky! Baby you're a firework! Come on let your colors burst! Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' You're gonna leave 'em going 'Oh! Oh! Oh!'

_We created larger fireworks that left the smaller ones closer to the tables. They exploded spectacularly in the air. Nic, Harley and I jumped up on the staff table and pointed to different fireworks while covering our mouths in astonishment during the 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' portion. We stayed on the tables and jumped around in circles making the fireworks shoot around the room during the middle part of the chorus before resuming our faux astonishment at the fireworks we'd created during the 'Oh's' at the end._

"You don't have to feel like a waste of space, you're original, cannot be replaced. If you only knew what the future holds, after a hurricane comes a rainbow."

_Nic created a huge circling hurricane cloud like you see on the news. You know, the pictures taken from space of severe storms? It was spectacular. Truly a sight to behold taking up almost the entire ceiling. When the line finished she ended the hurricane image and Harley and I conjured rainbows shooting them around the room, in between students and faculty._

"Maybe the reason why all the doors are closed, so you could open one that leads you to the perfect road."

_Harley again transfigured four doors slamming shut leaving one open. She walked through the door to Nic's yellow brick road leading down the middle of the room. _

"Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow, and when it's time you know, you just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night like the fourth of July."

_Nic created lightning shooting through the sky while I transfigured a giant heart in the center of the sky letting off a brilliant glow._

"Cause baby you're a firework! Come on show 'em what your worth. Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' as you shoot across the sky, sky sky! Baby you're a firework! Come on let your colors burst! Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' You're gonna leave 'em going 'Oh! Oh! Oh!'

_The girls upped the fireworks, and I used my voodoo fire control to turn the explosions into the house animals. There was a green and silver snake, a red and gold lion, a blue and bronze eagle and a yellow and black badger all flying about the room. _

"Boom Boom Boom, even brighter than the moon moon moon! It's always been inside of you you you and now it's time to let it through."

_Harley, Nic and I created three massive explosions that created a loud BOOM to accompany Sammie's singing. The explosions each immediately transformed from a typical firework into a giant moon that shone brightly in the room. They then dissolved into sparkles, which were again charmed so that each person would see their own face in the sparkles._

"Cause baby you're a firework! Come on show 'em what your worth. Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' as you shoot across the sky, sky sky! Baby you're a firework! Come on let your colors burst! Make 'em go 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' You're gonna leave 'em going 'Oh! Oh! Oh!'

_We then left behind all the other visuals and concentrated solely on the fireworks. Nic and Harley kept them going brilliantly while I manipulated them into specific images. I had the badger play a flute to a mesmerized snake while the lion playfully chased after the eagle. Then I had the lion facing away from the snake while it sneaked up behind it. The snake playfully tapped the lion on the shoulder and then quickly moved his head to the other side so the lion wouldn't see him. The snake then did the same thing to the other side. The lion turned around again to see nothing and I made him chase his tail while the snake sneaked off and the badger and eagle laughed, clearly enjoying the snake's little prank. There wasn't much time left in the song, so I just had all the animals dance merrily around the room until the end. We had all gathered at the front of the hall near the staff table, and when the last chord was played we dropped all the charms and the fireworks disappeared. _

The room was painfully silent for a few beats before the students erupted into ear splitting applause and cries of amazement. Professor Sanderson was beaming at us, clearly proud of her four best students. After a few minutes we started getting overwhelmed by their reaction and made our way toward the Gryffindor table where Harry, Ron and Hermione were gesturing for us to join them.

When the students finally settled Professor Dumbledore took the podium. His reaction was very similar to Headmaster Deveron's. "What an amazing display of magic from our Salem friends! How absolutely breath-taking! Thank you for sharing that with us, and what a wonderful message, as well!"

"Now, I'd like to discuss the submission process for choosing our champions. Mr. Bagman will be explaining the rules to you all."

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore, and I'd like to say how impressive that display was. Miss Swan, I didn't realize you and your friends were so talented when I met you all last week!"

I blushed at the acknowledgment and Mr. Bagman turned back to a giant crate that was standing next to him. Professor Dumbledore tapped his wand on the top of the crate and it disappeared to reveal a brilliant goblet atop a five foot pedestal.

Mr. Bagman then continued on with his explanations. "Yes, thank you, Professor. Students, this is the Goblet of Fire. Those students who wish to participate in the tournament will submit a parchment to the Goblet stating your name and school. You must understand before entering your name that you are magically bound to compete if you are chosen. Now, as this tournament is extremely dangerous, only seventh year students will be allowed to compete."

A huge ruckus broke out at this news. Apparently the Hogwarts students had yet to be informed of this requirement. I heard the Weasley twins shout, "Booo! That's rubbish!" There were similar sentiments all around. I caught Harry's eye and he just smiled at me, enjoying his friends' antics. I returned the smile and turned back to Mr. Bagman when he cleared his throat.

"This is non-negotiable. There will be an age line drawn around the Goblet and no one under the age of 17 will be able to pass. This is a very dangerous competition, students. It will be challenging enough for the seventh years. If we were to allow an underage wizard to compete, they would likely be severely if not fatally injured. This is not up for debate."

The naysayers quieted at that, although they were clearly still disgruntled. Mr. Bagman continued, "Now, you will have 24 hours to submit your name to the Goblet starting at 7:00. The Goblet will choose the champions at that time tomorrow. Thank you and have a good night."

My friends and I wasted no time submitting our names. Afterward Harry, Ron and Hermione invited us back to their common room. We accepted, but I was unsure. It was still hard to be around Harry, although it was getting easier. However, now I'd be spending time with him in the same common room my dad spent seven years of his life. It was surreal being in this place.

It turns out I was worried for nothing. The Gryffindor common room was incredibly warm and inviting and I felt instantly at ease. We sat in some comfortable couches by the fire and I snuggled into the seat knowing my father had probably sat in this same spot at least once before.

"Your performance was absolutely amazing!" The three younger students praised.

"Thanks, guys! We were a bit worried after we saw what Durmstrang and Beauxbatons prepared for their introduction. We were afraid we might have gone a bit overboard." Sammie explained.

"Oh, not at all!" Hermione assured. "It was absolutely brilliant. It's not your fault the other schools didn't put much effort towards their introductions."

We informed them that we were going to be taking Hogwarts lessons for the remainder of the year, and the students filled us in on all the teachers. Evidently they were all alright except Professor Snape. He is apparently the "greasy haired dungeon bat who teaches Potions" according to Ron.

I saw Caelen sitting outside the window and moved to let him in. Merlin I love my bird. He gave me the perfect opportunity to fish for information about Peter.

"This is my owl, Caelen. Caelen, this is Harry, Ron and Hermione." Caelen hooted and they all smiled at him.

"What a beautiful bird," Hermione complimented. Caelen was obviously pleased at the complement and he flew to Hermione's shoulder to affectionately nip her ear. After flying back to me I segwayed the conversation onto their pets.

"So, do you three have pets?"

The three of them glanced at each other and Harry answered for them. "Yes, I have a snowy owl named Hedwig. Hermione has a cat called Crookshanks."

"Oh, no pet for you, Ron?" Harley enquired.

He shook his head no and Harley continued. "Really, because I am a rodent enthusiast and I could have sworn I saw a picture of your family in the paper last year. You had an interesting looking rat on your shoulder."

I internally winced. Way to be subtle, Harley. The three teens looked uncomfortable. "Er, no. He died, actually. We think Crookshanks may have gotten to him." He quickly continued at the look of death he was receiving from a livid Hermione. "Erm, not that I blame Crooks, you know. I mean he _is_ a cat. Hunting mice is what they do, yeah?"

My face remained passive but mildly interested in the tale of Ronald Weasley's pet rat, but on the inside I was reeling. Peter is dead? Is that true, or did they find out he was Peter and he got away? Or did my dad kill him? Merlin, I hope not. We need Peter alive if we're ever going to clear my dad's name.

Harley nodded in not so mock disappointment and tried to move the conversation along. It had pretty much stalled after the awkward exchange and we decided to call it a night. It had been a long day. We'd gotten a decent distance from the Gryffindor common room before Nicole placed a Muffliato around us and started in on Harley.

"Merlin's saggy balls, Harley, could you have been more obvious?"

"What? We needed to know about Peter! I like animals! I can get away with being a rodent enthusiast!"

Sammie piped in with her opinion. "I agree that it was a bit of a risk, but did you see their reaction? I think they know something."

"Ha! See Nic, we learned something from my questions. Maybe those three know about Peter. Maybe they already know Sirius is innocent."

I thought about what they said. "You're right, Sammie. I do think they know something, I just don't know what it is they think they know. Let's watch them for the next few weeks and see how they act. We have an entire year here. I don't want to rush into any decisions and have it backfire on us."

All the girls agreed and we cancelled the Muffliato as we walked into our rooms.

The next day was a Sunday and we spent the morning exploring the grounds. They were absolutely breath-taking. There was a beautiful lake and eerie forest. Apparently it was forbidden. Insert snort here. Yeah, right. Nothing is forbidden to the four of us. We made plans to go exploring it in our animal forms in the near future.

We spent the afternoon with most of the other students in the Great Hall watching the other hopeful champions submit their names into the Goblet. The Weasley twins tried to fool the age line by downing some aging potion. Hermione tried to warn them it wouldn't work, but they were undeterred.

Their plan appeared to be working until they went to drop their names in the Goblet. They were thrown back a good 15 feet and long white beards adorned their faces. Everyone in the Hall laughed at their misfortune while they began blaming each other for their failed attempt.

The room quieted when Viktor Krum entered to submit his name. He stoically marched to the Goblet and placed his name inside. The only time his features softened was when he glanced down at Hermione. Hello! What's going on there, I wonder.

It was finally time for dinner, and the Great Hall was buzzing with excited discussions. Everyone was anxious to find out who the Champions would be. I was a bit nervous, as well. I really wanted to be chosen, but I would be equally happy and proud if one of my friends was chosen instead. We all made a pact before coming here that we'd give unconditional support to whichever girl ended up in the competition.

The clock finally rang 7:00 and the room quieted instantly. Professor Dumbledore approached the Goblet and announced, "The Goblet will now begin choosing your Champions!"

The flames in the Goblet grew and suddenly a piece of parchment went flying into the air where Dumbledore caught it. "The champion for Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum!" The hall erupted into cheers for the famous seeker, and Viktor made his way to a room off to the side of the Hall with a bit of excitement in his usual stony features.

When he departed the hall the Goblet spit out the next name. "The champion for Beauxbatons will be Fleur Delacour!" The school cheered for the beautiful girl and she excitedly flittered into the adjacent room.

Dumbledore was catching the next name just as the door closed behind Fleur. "The champion from Salem will be Bella Swan!" My face lit up in excitement and my friends swallowed me in hugs.

"Awesome, Bella! You're going to be brilliant!" I smiled at them with undisguised elation before making my way to the side room.

When I entered the room I was greeted cheerfully by my competitors and a proud Sandy. Just after our introductions were complete a deafening roar could be heard from the Great Hall. We all turned to see who the Howgarts champion would be.

"Cedric Diggory," he introduced. He was quite handsome, but compared to Edward…Meh.

We were all chatting amiably waiting for Professor Dumbledore to join when the door flew open and…Harry walked through?

"Harry! What are you doing back here?" I questioned.

He looked completely lost and dumbfounded, and just stared at me shaking his head with wide eyes. Dumbledore flew in a few seconds later and grabbed Harry by the collar. "Did you put your name in the Goblet, Harry?"

What? The Goblet spit out Harry's name? "No, sir!" He defended.

The Durmstrang Headmaster scoffed and stalked menacingly toward Harry after Dumbledore released him. I stood between them protectively. I read about Karkaroff. He was a Death Eater in the war, but got out of his prison sentence by fingering Barty Crouch, Jr. as a Death Eater. I don't trust him. Ludo said that students under seventh year were basically doomed if they were to compete in this competition. Someone put Harry's name in that Goblet to try and hurt him.

"Out of my way, little girl!" He screamed down at me. "This boy – " I cut him off, there.

"NO! I will not get out of the way! It's pretty obvious that someone put Harry's name in the Goblet with malicious intent! He is not prepared for competition at this level! His life is in danger, _sir,"_ I spat the last word at him. "I'd be willing to bet _all_ my gold that the person who put Harry's name in the Goblet has a nice little tattoo on their left forearm. Care to lift up your sleeve, _sir_?"

The room became deathly silent and Karkaroff's face started turning an alarming shade of purple as he towered over me, breathing fire. Hmmm…I think I may have hit a nerve. Serves you right, asshole, and for Merlin's _sake _eat a Tic Tac.

He went to reach for his wand, but I was prepared. You don't just call out a Death Eater and expect them to smile and wish you a pleasant afternoon. There's a reason they wear those masks we saw at the World Cup.

Before his hand moved more than a few inches I revealed my drawn wand by stabbing it into his ribs. "Don't even think about it." My voice was deathly calm.

The realization that the situation was well out of hand spurred the other professors into action. "Igor! You were going to pull your wand on a student!" This came from Sandy. She was too appalled that he would curse a student to realize that I'd drawn my wand on the Headmaster of another school…after accusing him of being a sadistic evil-doer who's trying to assassinate Harry using the Tournament.

Karkaroff was clearly unable to function at this point, and Dumbledore _finally_ stepped in. "Miss Swan, accusing Headmaster Karkaroff of submitting Harry's name to the Goblet is exceedingly inappropriate. I will not have you insult my guests while you are inside my castle." He sternly admonished. I internally scoffed. Whatever, old man. This asshole was aligned with the bastard who was going to kill me before deciding he wanted me to be his future wifey. When. I. Was. Four! He, of his own free will, chose to assist the _monster _that destroyed so many innocent lives. Outwardly, however, I tried to look contrite.

"I'm sorry, sir." Not. "I'm just very worried about Harry's well being. The person who submitted his name is passively attacking him, sir. When Headmaster Karkaroff looked to be directly attacking him, I lost control of my emotions. I'm sorry, Headmaster." I tried to look remorseful as I swallowed the bile that had risen in the back of my throat at the forced apology.

"Very well, Miss Swan. I, too, am worried about Mr. Potter. I believe that you are right in your assumption that this is a malicious attack on Harry. I have complete faith in Headmaster Karkaroff, however, and you will show him the proper respect."

I _did_ show him the _proper_ respect, I internally sulked. "Yes, sir," I bit out.

With my admonishment complete, Dumbledore turned his attention to Mr. Bagman while I kept my body positioned between Harry and Karkaroff. "Ludo, there has be to a way to remove Harry from the competition. He is not prepared and he didn't even submit his own name."

Ludo looked regretful. "I'm sorry, Albus. Once a name is entered into the Goblet the person becomes magically bound. The boy has to compete, he has no choice."

Everyone turned toward Harry who looked a bit like a lost little boy. That's what he was, I guess. His whole life has been dictated by others. He rarely seems to have a say in his own fate.

I turned around and hugged him fiercely. "It's okay, Harry. My friends and I will help you. We'll get you through these tasks. Winning this competition means nothing to me now that your life is in danger, Harry. It's going to be okay." I quietly reassured him. Merlin I hope I'm right. All I really know for sure is that I will do everything in my power to make sure Harry makes it out of this competition alive and intact.

**A/N:**

**Thanks to car89, Termia, Rita, vivx-chan, rockrose, Anon lily, bloody alanna, and MoreRandomThanYouWouldBelieve for your reviews! You guys rock!**

**So yeah, Nicole, Sam and Harley are my real life sister-in-law and sisters. Nicole is actually the one who got me into Twilight in the first place. I gave them all the last names of their crushes. I think Nicole would have preferred to be Nicole Cullen, but that wouldn't really work out with my story. :) I also let them choose their animal forms.**

**Also, just a note for possible furture appearances of Hagrid. I am not going to put too much effort in trying to type out the words in his dialect. You can use your imaginations to make the voice Hagrid-y.**

**So, we've discovered who are champions are and Bella had a little confrontation with Karkaroff. It seems Bella has a bit of the famous Black temper.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve:

I was walking Harry back to Gryffindor Tower when he stopped me. "You really think someone is hoping I'll be killed during the tournament?"

I looked at him regretfully and put my hands on top of his shoulders. "Yes, Harry. Why else would someone tamper with the choosing of the Champions? I've been thinking about how it worked out, and the culprit did it in such a way that you _had_ to be chosen. Meaning that they must have submitted your name under a false school. There was no way for you _not_ to be chosen, Harry. If the person just wanted to see if you'd be chosen, they'd have submitted you under Hogwarts. No, this person knew exactly what they were doing, and they wouldn't have gone to all that trouble if they didn't have a purpose."

He looked toward me with sorrow hidden in his emerald eyes. It seems that the whole world is out to get him. I hugged him to me again. "I promise you, Harry. I will do everything I can to help you."

When I pulled back he was smiling weakly. "You and your friends reacted in the exact same way. When my name was called the room was completely silent until the three of them stood up simultaneously and started ranting about how the Goblet was fixed to endanger me. When Dumbledore quieted them and asked me to move to the back room, they grabbed me and promised me they'd get me through this." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "Thank you, Bella. It means a lot to know that I'll have an ally through all this."

"Of course, Harry. You can count on The Skirts. We'll take care of everything." I loped my arm through his and continued walking toward his tower.

"The Skirts?" He questioned.

I smiled sheepishly at him. "Yeah, my friends and I are a bit notorious at Salem. We're always getting into mischief. During our second year our group was christened the Scheming Skirts by our classmates. The name kind of stuck with us."

He just laughed and shook his head. A few moments later we made it to his portrait hole and said our goodbyes.

The next few weeks were tense around Hogwarts. It seems that all of Harry's friends, other than Hermione and Neville, turned against him. During these weeks Harry spent a lot of time with my friends and I and they had become just as protective over Harry as me. We've been actively trying to keep him away from the students whose main goal seems to be taunting Harry.

One morning we were sitting at breakfast when a boy I'd learned was Seamus Finnigan walked by sneering at Harry. "Well if it isn't the _famous_ Harry Potter gracing us with his presence? What's going on Harry, did you come down to eat with us so you could get a photo op eating breakfast will all the nobody students at your school? Need something for your next interview?" He laughed making the button on his robes change from supporting Cedric to a picture of Harry under the words, "Potter Stinks!"

I'd had enough. This was getting out of hand, and I could no longer control my temper. I was no longer that innocent 11-year-old who never lost her composure. Ever since I found out I was a Black and started having memories of my past, my fuse became noticeably shorter. I stood up quickly knocking my bench backwards and slammed my hands down on the table, glaring at Seamus. All conversations ceased as everyone's attention turned to me and Seamus.

I sneered back at him in my most sarcastic voice, "What's the matter, _Seamus_? Are you jealous that Harry is so _famous_? I mean, how wonderful it must be, right? I have an idea, why don't we resurrect Voldemort and have him kill _your_ parents! Then you can see how _wonderful_ it is to be famous like Harry Potter!"

The room was completely silent as I stood up and looked around me. Everyone was staring at me in complete shock, except The Skirts, of course. They were smiling. Even the staff was left glued to their seats, completely speechless. What? Is everyone afraid to say it out loud? Not me, people!

I was standing in the middle of the aisle turning around in circles to take in the gaping faces surrounding me. I was really on a roll now, and I started screaming to the people in the Hall. "What? You people should be ashamed of yourselves! You cheer when Harry's had to sacrifice his parents in order for your tormentor to be defeated, but he's not good enough to support when someone is obviously trying to kill him? You people don't ever stop to consider that the events that led to him vanquishing _'He who must not be named'_ destroyed his life!" I said the stupid way these cowards address Voldemort in a mock eerie voice. "And then when someone is _obviously _trying to harm him by putting his name in the Goblet you people just turn your back on him! When he needs you the most you desert him!"

"And you!" I turned toward Ron and pointed at him. "You're supposed to be his best friend! Merlin, you are doing a piss poor job of it, Ronald! Harry could be _killed_! How will you feel if something happens to him because he was forced into a competition for which he is not qualified and the last few weeks, when you should have been HELPING him, you've done nothing but treat him like a pariah? For Merlin's sake even the bloody Hufflepuffs have turned against Harry! Aren't you people supposed to be loyal? Helga is probably rolling over in her grave! As is Godric! The only members of his house who aren't too _cowardly_ to stick by their friend when everyone is against him are Hermione and Neville! The rest of you are a mockery to your own House!" I yelled accusingly.

The verbal diarrhea was really spewing out of my mouth at this point, and I don't know if I'd have been able to stop myself if I hadn't heard the booming voice of Professor Dumbledore. "SILENCE!"

I turned, fuming, to the doors of the Great Hall where Dumbledore had entered. "In my office immediately, Miss Swan!"

I didn't even respond; I just stomped past him towards his office. The gargoyles stepped aside without a password, and I waited for Dumbledore in his office.

A few minutes passed, but I hadn't calmed down one iota. I was still livid. These people are ridiculous! Harry! He is one of the bravest, most loyal people I know and they are treating him so poorly. I can feel the anger coursing through my veins. How dare they?

The door burst open and Professor Dumbledore entered with Sandy in tow. "That outburst was completely unacceptable, Miss Swan!" Dumbledore seemed upset. Yeah, you're not the only one.

"I'm **not** sorry, Professor, _I_ feel that the way the students have bullied Harry these past few weeks is _unacceptable_. I cannot just stand idly by while you allow your students to torment him. He doesn't deserve that treatment!" Yeah, I would have sooo been sorted into Gryffindor.

He seemed surprised and taken aback by my response. He was just about to respond when Sandy pulled me aside. "One moment, Headmaster. I need to have a word with my student."

He nodded his head in agreement and she pulled me to the corner of the office. She placed a Muffliato around us. "What on Earth was that all about, Bella? These outbursts are not like you. Now, I'm not completely naïve. I know you have your ways of getting back at those you feel treat people unjustly. You're usually a bit more subtle about it, though. I never thought I'd see the day where you screamed at a room full of students and professors." I couldn't decipher the look in her eyes. It was admonishing, sure, but I think she may have been a bit proud that I stood up for Harry.

I glanced toward Dumbledore and noticed that he was watching us keenly. I narrowed my eyes at him and threw up a charm to block lip reading. I then turned back to Sandy and tried to explain myself. "I'm sorry if I've disappointed you, Professor. But you know about my past. You also know that I believe my father to be innocent." She nodded at this. I think I had her pretty much swayed when I showed her the picture we found of Peter. It completely backed up everything we'd told her. "Well, I've known Harry Potter since he was born, Professor. I've also known his parents since I was born. They were my godparents. I have memories of them all." She gasped in shock at that.

"He was my very first friend. He's my god brother. Professor, our pasts are so intertwined. We've both suffered so much from the unfortunate events of our shared past. I feel this unbreakable connection to him. I am so desperate to tell him who I am. To tell him Sirius is innocent. To make him see that I understand his pain. I was thinking of doing just that until his name was spit from that infernal Goblet. But now, I don't know how he'll react to the news, or if he'll even believe me. I don't want to tell him anything that might distract his focus from the tournament or cause him to refuse my help. I _will_ protect him, Professor. Be it in the tournament tasks or when his entire school turns against him. I will _always _be on his side." I was suddenly tired. Getting so worked up is exhausting.

Sandy looked at me with undisguised tenderness in her face as her hand cupped my cheek. "I am so proud of you, Bella. I don't necessarily agree with the way that you handled that situation, but you stood up for your friend, your family. You and your friends are sticking by him when he has no one else. Harry is lucky to have you girls. I'm not sure what Dumbledore is going to say, though, Bella. If he asks you to stay in the plane when not competing for tasks, you won't be able to assist Harry."

I panicked when she said this, and looked up at her with wide eyes. "You don't think he'd do that, do you?"

"I'm not sure," she mused. "He's already warned you once about being rude."

"He said I wasn't to be rude to the _guests_ in his castle. His students are not guests." I reasoned.

Sandy just laughed and shook her head, "Please don't say that to him, Bella. Apologize. Sincerely."

I smirked at her, "Yes, ma'am" I reluctantly agreed.

When we turned back to Professor Dumbledore he was smiling at us. Er, why?

"I have thought about everything you said, Miss Swan, and I've realized that you are absolutely correct. The students at my school have been verbally abusing Harry since the Goblet produced his name. While I don't approve of the method you chose to silence his tormentors, I am most pleased that Harry has such a passionate and talented witch willing to stand up for him, and stick by his side throughout this process. He will need it." Sandy and I stared at him with our mouths gaping open. Dumbledore just chuckled. "Now, I will ask that you refrain from such a public display in the future. Other than that, you are free to go." His eyes twinkled madly as he smiled mischievously at me.

I allowed a full blown smile to overtake my features and thanked the Headmaster for his understanding. I assured him I'd try to keep my verbal tirades to more private venues in the future. He chuckled at that and I went on my way.

As I stepped out from between the gargoyles I was instantly engulfed in a massive hug. "Thank you, Bella! No one has ever stood up for me like that before!" The Skirts were standing a few feet away smiling at us.

I pulled away from Harry and smiled at him fondly. "Well, get used to it, Harry. I have my father's temper, and I am firmly planted on your side. Always. If someone wants to mess with you they're going to have to deal with me."

He smiled appreciatively and we turned to Harley when she began speaking. "Hey, Neville wanted to show me some plants down at the lake. You guys want to join us?"

I looked to Harry and he nodded his agreement. The five of us then made our way down to the Black Lake where Neville was standing in the shallow water looking at various water plants.

"That was a brilliant speech, Bella! And thanks for saying that I was one of the only two courageous Gryffindors!" He smiled toothily at me, clearly enjoying his mention in my tirade.

I laughed at his enthusiasm and bowed deeply. "Any time, Sir Longbottom." His grin got even wider as he turned his attention to Harley who had rolled up her pants and was wading her way toward him.

I felt a pang of sadness at the sight of him, and I lowered my eyes to my lap. He didn't desert Harry because he understands, too. His parents were driven mad by prolonged Cruciatus. It was my cousin, Bellatrix, who sent them to the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungos. I looked back up to Neville happily showing Harley the different plant life native to the Black Lake, and realized just how brave he truly is. Gryffindor through and through.

Harry was looking through a book about aquatic plant life native to the region when Hermione, Ron and Ginny approached us. Ron glared at me menacingly. He's still not courageous enough to swallow his pride, I see.

Hermione approached with some dodgy chain of evidence ending with Hagrid wanting to see Harry that night. Harry tried to give her a message for Ron, and the conversation ended with Hermione claiming that she wasn't an owl before storming of with Ginny in tow. Ron then narrowed his eyes at us and stormed off after them. I rolled my eyes at their immature display. "He'll get over himself eventually, Harry. Just make sure he understands what a giant prat he's been when he does."

He laughed and asked me if I'd go with him to meet Hagrid. He had a feeling it had something to do with the tournament. I agreed and we made plans to meet later than night outside his common room.

When he stepped out of the portrait hole that night he immediately threw and invisibility cloak around us. "Where'd you get this? It's awesome!"

He smirked at me. "It was my dad's."

Ah, no wonder Jamie, Daddy, Remy and _Peter_ were able to get away with so much when they were younger. They could get around this place unseen.

When we got closer to Hagrid's hut Harry stepped out of the cloak and asked me to stay close to his side. I placed a silencing spell over my feet and obliged. The girls were in their animal forms just inside the forest. They were going to stay out of our sight, but keep an eye on us and our surroundings as we ventured into the forest. We had already gone exploring the forest, and knew where all the dangers lie.

Harry knocked on Hagrid's door and he emerged wearing a hideous brown suit with a giant red and yellow Zinnia attached to his lapel. He asked Harry to follow him and Harry eyed him curiously. "Hagrid? Did you comb your hair?" Harry asked astonished.

"I did. You should probably think of doing so yerself, there Harry."

Harry was undeterred. "What's with the flower?"

"Never mind that, Harry." We heard a noise in the distance and Hagrid quickly looked back to Harry. "Get under yer cloak, Harry, quickly."

Hagrid turned around to the noise and I quickly threw the cloak around us both. Hagrid ended up meeting with Madame Maxine, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons. They shared a romantic greeting and Harry and I looked at each other in horror. He then led her toward an area of the forest that was brightly lit with a lot of loud crashes and other noises. Maxine gasped a "Ils sont magnifiques!"

Harry and I struggled to see what had the two giants so fascinated. Oh. Merlin's. Saggy. _Balls_. They're not magnificent, Maxine. They're Dragons! We're going to have to deal with dragons? I looked over at Harry and the horror on his face broke my heart. He was not equipped to deal with dragons!

I mentally went through the best ways to get past a dragon, as I was sure that's what we'd have to do. They couldn't possibly want us to hurt them. I immediately thought of a spell that The Skirts and I invented in our fifth year. I don't think I'll be able to teach him the spell in two days, though!

Harry is a talented wizard, but most of his talents lie in DADA. He can hold his own alright in other classes, but he's not extraordinary in any capacity. I don't mean that in a mean way, it's just reality. He's an excellent dueler, above and beyond. From what I've heard he can create a fully corporeal Patronus. That is unheard of for someone his age. Like I said, he outshines most in DADA. That will not help him against a dragon, though.

I nudged Harry and told him to talk to Hagrid now that Maxine had stepped away to get a closer look. "Dragons, Hagrid? That's the first task? Are they mental?"

Hagrid looked down at Harry like he'd forgotten he was even there. "Oh, Harry! Don't worry! I'm sure you'll do fine. I wanted you to have some time to prepare, though."

Harry shook his head and walked back toward me as Hagrid went to join Maxine. I threw the cloak back over him and we walked back toward the castle. When we approached the Gryffindor portrait he took the cloak off and cast Muffliato over us.

"I'm doomed. No way I can fight a dragon." He's such a pessimist.

"It's going to be difficult, Harry, but I'll figure something out. Go get some sleep and meet me in the library after your last class."

I was in the library with the girls the next afternoon when Harry and Hermione approached. "I told Mione about the task. She wants to help."

I smiled at the bushy haired witch. "Of course. So, me and the girls have been talking about what the actual task will entail."

Sammie continued, "We don't think you'll actually be fighting the dragon, Harry. We think you'll have to get past it. They wouldn't set up a task where you'd have to actually harm a dragon."

Harley picked up for Sammie, "Yeah, so we've been thinking of your greatest strengths. You know, what could help you against a dragon. We've heard that you are they Gryffindor seeker and a phenomenal flyer."

Harry's cheeks turned pink, "Well, I'm decent, sure, but they aren't going to allow me my broom."

Nicole scoffed. "No Harry, but you're a wizard. They will allow you a wand. All you have to do is summon your broom to you and fly past the dragon. We think it's your best bet."

Harry looked to me, "Like you did with my glasses at the World Cup?" I smiled and nodded.

Hermione perked up at our solution. "That's brilliant. You'll definitely be able to get past the dragon if you have your Firebolt, Harry!"

Sammie looked to Hermione and Harry. "Are you guys familiar with the Room of Requirement, or Come-and-Go room as some call it?"

Harry shook his head no, and Hermione responded, "I've read about it in Hogwarts: A History, but I've never known anyone who's actually found it."

The girls and I smirked at them and I continued. "We found it. We started looking for it practically the moment we arrived. It's a terribly convenient room. We can set it up to a practice room for you to learn the spell, Harry."

He nodded with a grin as we all stood up. "Hey, can we take a detour down to the courtyard before making our way to Room of Requirement?"

"Sure, Harry." Harley responded.

We made our way outside and Harry started looking around for something. He seemed to find was he was looking for and started walking determinately toward a bench with a few students lounging around. We followed a few paces behind as he approached Cedric. When he reached the bench the students all looked anywhere but at Harry. It was awkward. "Can I speak to you a minute, Cedric?"

Cedric got up off the bench and put his hands up in surrender. "Look Harry, I never supported the buttons, or the bullying." I snorted audibly. Yeah, you didn't do anything to discourage it, either.

Cedric glanced at me and then followed Harry a few feet away from the group. He was telling Cedric something, and I watched the shock cross Cedric's face before he spoke. I could read the word "Dragons" on his lips. Harry was telling him the first task. My heart swelled with love and pride for my god brother. It didn't matter that Cedric did nothing to discourage the hateful behavior Harry endured. He wanted the game to be fair, and for Cedric to be as prepared as the rest of us. He really is such a good person.

After Harry's conversation with Cedric, we started making our way to the Room of Requirement. We were stopped by my idiot cousin. "Hello Potty, your little Mudblood friend looking to make more of a fool of herself by raving like a lunatic some more?"

Harry went to respond, but I stopped him. Draco Malfoy is soooo not worth the energy, and the word Mudblood didn't really carry the same hurt to Americans as it did to the Europeans who've fought such a long history of prejudice. I knew that Harley and Sammie didn't care.

The Slytherins were the only group unaffected by my words in the Great Hall. Not that that was too surprising. They were the only ones who still wore those obnoxious buttons. Draco was still wearing his proudly, the git. The rest of the school kept a wide berth, no one brave enough to be the first to apologize and abandon their stance.

When Draco saw that his Mudblood comment wasn't getting a reaction he continued, "You know, my father and I have a bet about you. I don't think you'll last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He doesn't think you'll last five."

I left this one up to Harry's discretion, and he decided to respond. "I don't give a damn about what your _father_ thinks, Malfoy! He's vile and cruel...and you're just pathetic."

We all turned and walked in the other direction when we heard Professor Moody shout, "That will teach you to try and curse someone when their back is turned, you coward!" We all spun around to find a small white ferret in the place where Draco was just standing. Moody started tossing him in the air with his wand to the delight of all the students outside of Draco's little gang of idiots.

We continued on our way to the RoR after Professor McGonagall walked by and admonished Moody for using transfiguration as a punishment, demanding that he return the student to their normal form at once. We were still laughing when we reached the seventh floor corridor in front of the patch of wall opposite the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet.

Nicole walked back in forth in front of the wall three times and suddenly a door appeared out of the wall. Both Harry and Hermione were very impressed. We walked in to find a massive room. It was about the size of four football fields. It was a replica of the grounds of Hogwarts, size wise. The side of the room we were standing in had a few props to show us that we were at the Quidditch stands. This is where we thought the event would take place. On the other end of the room was Harry's mock bedroom. There were even walls with a window. The room also provided a Firebolt that we could place in various locations in throughout the space. We were going to start off summoning from short distances and then make sure he'd be able to summon something from the distance of the field to his bedroom.

"Okay, Harry," I started. "The incantation for the summoning charm is 'Accio.' You'll say the incantation followed by the item being summonsed. This is the wand movement."

After trying it multiple times with advice from the five girls helping him, Harry was able to summon the broom. After we were confident he could successfully use the spell while he could see the object we put the Firebolt in the mock bedroom that was the same distance he'd need to cover in the competition.

It didn't take him long to master summoning an object that he couldn't see, and we all left the RoR feeling confident that Harry would be able to get through the first task. I was also hoping that I went before Harry so that I could make sure that no fire touched Harry. He could evade the dragon and I could control the fire.

We soon found ourselves in the Champion's tent waiting for the first task to begin. Every Champion knew what was coming and we were all nervous. No matter how prepared you are, dragons are no joke. I think Hermione was even more anxious than Harry. She sneaked in and launched herself at him, hugging him fiercely. Unfortunately at that very moment Rita Skeeter stormed in the tent and shot a picture of their embrace. That will undoubtedly be in the paper tomorrow. She was kicked out by Krum, of all people.

He was actually a really cool person. He was quiet, and maybe a bit thick in the head, but he wasn't malicious. He has never said an unkind word to Harry, and I appreciate that. The other Champion's hadn't, either. I wasn't too thrilled with Cedric, but I was getting over it.

Dumbledore came in and explained that we would be facing a dragon. Shocker. Apparently the dragon had been given an egg to protect and we were charged with retrieving the egg from the dragon's nest. Piece of cake, right? I internally scoffed.

Barty Crouch held out a pouch to Fleur and asked her to pick one. She reached her hand in and pulled out the Welsh Green. This continued down the line. Krum pulled the Chinese Fireball, I pulled the Hebridean Black (how lovely that we share a name), Cedric pulled the Sweedish Short-Snout leaving the Harry the blasted Horntail.

He looked up to me in a panic. He'd been left with the most aggressive of all dragons. Honestly, could Harry not catch a single break? At least this will allow me to go before him, as my dragon was the second to last and Harry's was last. I approached Harry with confidence. Now was not the time to doubt himself. "Don't worry about it, Harry. You can get past the Horntail just as easy as the others. Just remember the incantation and concentrate on your task. I'll make sure you don't get burnt up." I grinned at him. He knew that I could easily control fire.

When my name was called I walked confidently to the tent exit. I shot Harry a good luck and went out to face my fate. Immediately upon exiting the tent I was hidden behind a giant boulder. Neither the dragon nor spectators could see me. I immediately used a spell that the girls and I invented. We used it back home to allow ourselves to be in multiple places at once. It allowed us to always have an alibi if we were doing something for which we knew we'd be immediately suspected. We could duplicate ourselves multiple times and control each of our copies. We could even have our copies speak. Sometimes we'd send them to class for us.

So, as I stood behind the boulder I made ten copies of myself. I then disillusioned myself so that I'd be invisible. If you looked closely you'd be able to see a slight shimmer when I moved, but with so many of me running around I didn't think anyone would notice me. I sent my copies sprinting out from behind the boulder and kept a close eye on the frantic dragon. I kept my other selves running around evading her advances while I crept toward the nest. When I made it there I made a duplicate of the egg and disillusioned the real one.

I took it with me and exited the floor of the arena. I then made my way up the stands to where the officials were sitting and took the seat next to Professor Dumbledore. I took the disillusionment charm off myself and the egg and asked Dumbledore how the Salem Champion was doing. He didn't take his eyes off the field as he responded. "She seems to be holding her own but, she isn't making a break for the egg, which is the point of the task."

I internally snickered. "You mean this egg, Professor." I held it up in his face and cancelled all my duplicates.

The entire booth turned my way and they all looked at me in complete shock. The students were looking around in confusion until Barty walked over to me pulled me up to stand next to him. I don't think he liked that I not only pulled one over on the dragon, but on the officials as well. I found it quite entertaining myself.

"The Salem Champion has captured the egg!" The entire stadium looked toward the nest where the duplicate egg was now vanished, and then back up to the officials stadium where I was standing next to Mr. Crouch. The stands roared with laughter and started cheering. Thank you, Thank you. I'll be here all week.

The officials dismissed me, and after Sandy congratulated me on my performance I made my way to the Gryffindor stands where the Skirts were waiting for me. They all had mirth dancing in their eyes as they hugged and congratulated me.

"That was the best thing I've ever seen, Bella!" Nicole praised.

"Yeah, the look on Crouch's face when he realized you'd sneaked up to the stands was priceless!" Harley agreed.

"You had everyone confused, Bella. No one except us knew to look for your shimmer. It was brilliant!" Sammie continued.

"Thank you, ladies. You know I couldn't have done it without you. That charm was invented by all of us. Now, let's see how Harry fares." The dragon keepers had just managed to remove my dragon and replace her with Harry's so he should be coming out any moment.

I watched in rapt concentration as the curtain moved telling us that Harry had made his way out of the tent. A few seconds later his Firebolt was whizzing through the air disappearing behind the boulder. Then Harry was suddenly zooming out from his hiding place much to the displeasure of the Horntail. The dragon started flapping its wings wildly and spewing fire in Harry's direction. I kept the fire a few feet from Harry at all times.

Unfortunately, after a few minutes of failing to stop Harry the dragon broke free of his leash and started flying after Harry! Oh no! Harry flew away from the pitch with the angry dragon hot on his trail. This is a disaster! How can I keep the fire away from him if I can't see them? If anything happens to Harry I am going to _kill _Ludo Bagman for forcing Harry to compete. Then I'm going to find the person who put his name in and kill them, too. Maybe they'll give me my father's old cell. It will have been worth it, though.

I was pulled from my dark thoughts by Harry flying back into the pitch and retrieving the egg, no Horntail in sight. Everyone cheered except the Slytherins. I even noticed Ron cheering his lungs out. The officials announced the end of the first task. I won first, Krum second, Harry third, Cedric fourth and Fleur fifth. It was explained that the egg contained the clue to our next task, and we'd be unable to complete it if we didn't solve the egg.

We met Harry at the base of the official's stadium and we walked back to the castle together. "You did brilliant, Harry! I was so nervous when that stupid dragon broke free and started chasing you around the sky! I was afraid he'd get you with his flames and I wouldn't be able to stop them. You didn't need my help, though. Harry, seriously! You were amazing!" I praised him exuberantly.

He blushed a brilliant shade of red and muttered his thanks. On the way up to the castle, all the little shits who'd treated Harry like dirt were back to seeing him as a hero. Fickle little prats. We were almost to the Gryffindor Tower when Ron timidly approached.

"Hey, mate. After watching the first task, I reckon you'd be mental to enter your name into the Goblet."

I rolled my eyes and Harry responded. "Took you long enough."

He looked down ashamedly and apologized. "I know. I'm sorry. I realized that I was being a right foul git after Bella's speech at breakfast the other day. I just didn't know how to make it better. I tried, you know, by suggesting that Hagrid show you the dragons. I knew they were here because of my brother, Charlie. He's one of the dragon keepers."

I looked to Harry and could see that Ron was already forgiven. "Alright, Ron. I forgive you. Just don't act like that again."

Ron looked up and smiled. "Thanks, mate. They're throwing a party for you in the common room. It should be good."

Ron turned around and started walking toward the portrait hole. Harry turned toward me and the girls. "Aren't you guys coming?"

I answered for us. "I don't think so, Harry. You need to re-bond with your house. I think we should give them a chance to make up for their behavior without taking any of the attention on ourselves."

"What? No, it's okay! I want you guys to come."

Harley understood that I wanted to give him some time to spend with his school mates. He would need them when we left at the end of the year. They needed this time. "It's okay, Harry. We'll meet up with you tomorrow. We're all really tired from preparing for the first task anyway. I know I'm ready to crash."

Sammie, Nicole and I nodded our agreement. Harry looked at us seriously before relenting. "Alright, then. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Thank you all so much for your help," he said sincerely.

We all grinned. "No problem, Harry," we all chorused.

We made our way back to our rooms and fell into our beds, exhausted. We weren't lying when we said we were ready to crash. We were all asleep within minutes.

We slept in the next morning and didn't leave the room until around 11:30. We made our way down to the Great Hall and saw a sleepy Hermione, Ron and Harry. We sat down across from them and each started preparing our coffee after exchanging greetings.

"How was your celebration, Harry?" Sammie asked.

"It was fun." He grinned. "I may have consumed too many sweets and few too many bottles of Butterbeer." He grimaced at that.

The four of us giggled at his sour face and started piling food on our plates. "So, did you guys try opening the egg?" Harry asked.

I responded. "No, honestly I haven't thought about it again since yesterday. We need to get on it, though. We got lucky with the dragons. I want to make sure we have enough time to prepare you for the next task. Did you open it?"

His sour face deepened. "Yes, it was very painful. High pitched squeals were all we heard."

Harley perked at this. "High pitched squeals, you say?"

The trio looked up and nodded. Hermione enquired, "Do you have an idea."

"Maybe," was Harley's vague reply. "Let us look into it, and if anything comes of our research, we'll let you know. You should still try to figure out what it might be. My idea is just a shot in the dark. I haven't even heard the egg."

The three younger students nodded their response and turned their attention back to their food. Nicole, Sammie and I looked questioningly at Harley. "Later," she mouthed.

We nodded and finished our lunches. Afterward we parted ways with Harry, opting to go back up to our room to discuss Harley's theory.

"What are you thinking?" Nicole asked while handing Harley the egg.

"I'm thinking it may be Mermish. Mermaids have always fascinated me, and I studied them in depth for my Care of Magical Creatures project last year. Their voices sound like high pitched squeals if you hear them out of water."

"Why couldn't you say that in front of them?" I asked.

"I could have, but like I said, I haven't actually heard the egg, yet. I don't want them to think that I know the answer and decide they no longer need to research anything. I want to make sure they're heads are still in it if this doesn't pan out."

"That makes sense." Nicole agreed. "We don't want them relying on us solely and then not be able to deliver."

We all accepted this logic and turned back to Harley with the egg. She placed a charm over the egg that would cap off the decibel of any noise to a reasonable human level. We all held our breath as she opened it. Sure enough, there was a horrific screech emitting from the egg immediately upon opening. It wasn't too bad, though, as the sound was muted a bit.

We all looked back to Harley and she had a smug grin adorning her features. "Oh yeah, it's definitely Mermish. Let's get this bad boy to the prefect's bathroom. It can only be understood under water."

Katie Bell had shown us the prefect's bathroom on our tour of the school. She gave us the password and told us to feel free to utilize it whenever we wanted. It was an amazing bathroom. The bath tub was practically the size of a swimming pool. We grabbed our swim suits, towels and my school bag and made our way down to the luxurious bathroom.

Upon entering, we each added our favorite scents into the mix and the bathtub quickly filled up with warm water. We got situated and placed bubblehead charms over our faces so that we could breathe under water. We simultaneously sunk below into the warm depths and Harley opened the egg.

_Come seek us where our voices sound,_  
><em>We cannot sing above the ground,<em>  
><em>And while you're searching ponder this;<em>  
><em>We've taken what you'll sorely miss,<em>  
><em>An hour long you'll have to look,<em>  
><em>And to recover what we took,<em>  
><em>But past an hour, the prospect's black,<em>  
><em>Too late it's gone, it won't come back.<em>

We all emerged from the surface and exchanged glances. I decided to start the discussion. "So, we'll have to find something under water and we'll only have an hour to do it?"

Harley continued, "That's what it sounds like, but it's not going to be so easy. I imagine it will be in the Black Lake as there is merpeople who live in there. There are all types of dangerous creatures in the depths of the lake, Bella. This is a dangerous task."

I snorted. "Of course it is. It wouldn't _be_ a task it wasn't potentially life threatening."

Nicole brought us back on point. "We need to tell Harry now. We've got to figure out a way for him to survive under water for an hour. There is no way we will be able to teach him the bubblehead charm or human to animal transfiguration in less than two months. It's far too complex, and you need a much vaster knowledge base than Harry has currently."

Nic's right. I got out of the tub and pulled a parchment and quill from my school bag. I quickly penned a note asking Harry to meet us in the prefect bathroom with his swim trunks. I tapped the note and it folded into an airplane. I placed a charm over it so that no one else could open it but Harry. I then opened the door and sent the plane to Harry.

I sunk back into the water to wait for Harry's arrival. Sammie then reminded me that Harry isn't a prefect and might not know where the bathroom is located. Damn, I hadn't thought of that. "If he isn't here in the next 30 minutes I'll go look for him."

I was just about to get out and start my search when the door swung open. Harry walked in the door with his eyes looking at everything but me. That's weird. He removed his robe and sunk down into the water. "Everything okay, Harry?" I asked.

He looked at me nervously. "Er, yeah. Of course. What did you want to show me?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. He's acting very strange. I shrugged it off and looked to Harley to begin her explanation.

Harry's POV:

I was sitting in front of the fire discussing the next task with Hermione and Ron when Dean and Seamus opened the portrait hole. A paper airplane flew in over their heads and landed in my lap.

"Be careful with that, Harry. Seamus tried to grab it and it shocked him." Dean warned.

I grinned. It's probably from Bella. She loves to shock people when they try to touch things that don't belong to them. Fred got a nasty shock when he tried to pick up one of the small stones they'd placed for the transfigurations in their introduction performance.

I picked up the note and unfolded it. It read:

_Meet us in the prefect bathroom. Wear your swim trunks._

Okay, how am I supposed to know where to find the prefect bathroom? I asked Hermione and Ron, and they didn't know either. "Why don't you just look them up on the map, Harry?" Hermione suggested.

I felt stupid. Of course that would be the easiest way to find them. The map would even tell me the password.

I ran up to my room and rummaged through my trunk until I found the Marauder's Map.

I opened it and then tapped it with my wand, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

I looked around the map until I saw them. My body completely froze while my heart started beating out of my chest. There in a room on the fifth floor were Nicole Pattinson, Samantha Lautner, Harley Timberlake, and _Isabella_ _Black_. Sirius' daughter.

A/N:

Big thanks to my reviewers! Termia, Lara, bloody alanna, and vivx-chan! You guys made my day!

So Dun Dun Dun! Harry knows! What will he do? Who will he tell? You'll find out in the next chapter.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and Bella's method for evading the dragon.

Please Please Please let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: The "K" key on my laptop is sticking, and so there may be a few words missing their "k". I tried to catch them all, but if you see a word that doesn't make sense, try adding a "k".

Previously:

_I looked around the map until I saw them. My body completely froze while my heart started beating out of my chest. There in a room on the fifth floor were Nicole Pattinson, Samantha Lautner, Harley Timberlake, and __**Isabella Black**__. Sirius' daughter._

Chapter Thirteen:

Harry POV:

I stared at her dot on the map for several seconds. Isabella Black. This is the second time I've opened this map to see someone I believed to be dead. Sirius thinks his daughter was murdered. She wasn't. She's waiting for me in the fifth floor prefect's bathroom.

My mind drifts back to the conversation I had with Sirius last year before the full moon destroyed all of our hopes for the future.

_Sirius and I are standing a few feet away from the others, staring up at the castle. He began to speak. "I remember the first time I laid eyes on this castle. I was blown away by it. Your father, Remus and I had such fun during our years here. Everything seems to have gone completely sideways since then. My sweet little princess, my Isabella, was murdered by Death Eaters. She was my whole world, Harry. My baby, so innocent. She loved you so very much, you know. She used to completely dote on you. You were her first friend, the only friend she ever had." Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he remembered his little girl. "We knew Voldemort was after you. Without Isabella, I had no reason to be cautious with my own life. I tried to bring the danger on myself, Harry, to keep you and your parents safe. I tried so hard."_

"_I know you did, Sirius. It wasn't your fault. You had no reason to think you couldn't trust your friend."_

_He smiled weakly in response. "You were the only thing that got me through my years in Azkaban, Harry. I had no hope, no happiness. Only the knowledge that you were out there and always in danger because of Peter. The knowledge wasn't happy, so the Dementors couldn't suck it from me. It kept me sane. When I saw the picture of Peter in the paper, I knew you were in imminent danger. The Weasley boy would bring Peter back to Hogwarts where you would be unprotected from the unknown threat. I would have died to protect you from him, Harry, just as I would have died for you and your family all those years ago."_

_My heart filled with emotion as I listened to him speak, and my hatred for Pettigrew increased by the second. "I don't want you do to die, Sirius."_

_He grinned down at me. "I don't plan on throwing myself to the Dementors, Harry, but I will protect you with my life if need be. I'm not sure if you're aware, but your parents made me your godfather."_

"_Yes, I found out earlier this year."_

"_Well, I understand if you'd rather not, but if you'd like to you, you know…"_

"_What? Come and live with you?" I asked, astonished. I could be freed from the Dursleys?_

"_Well, I understand if you'd rather stay with your Aunt and Uncle – "_

_I cut him off there, "No! I'd love to come and live with you!"_

_His response was cut off by Hermione's cry, "Harry!" I turned to see her pointing to the full moon in horror…Oh no…_

The memory faded away and I was left thinking about Bella. Does she know who she is? If so, does she think her father is guilty?

She has been fiercely loyal to me since the day we met at the World Cup. She could have left, but she stayed to look for me. Then there was the way she defended me in the Great Hall. The way she spoke so passionately about the night my parents were killed…almost like it was just as painful for her as it was for me. If she knew who she was, it would be. Her godparents were murdered. Her only friend orphaned. Her father arrested. Whether she thought him innocent or guilty, that would have been very difficult for her.

I need to see Dumbledore. He would know how to approach this. But first I needed to meet "The Scheming Skirts"…I internally smirked. Just like her father…in the prefect bathroom to see what they need to tell me.

I hesitantly opened the door to the bathroom. This was going to be very difficult. I couldn't look her in the eye. She has Sirius' eyes. How could I be so blind?

I awkwardly made my way to the bathtub where the four girls were waiting. I sunk into the warm water, still trying to avoid looking at Bella. Bella Black. _Oh bloody hell_.

"Everything okay, Harry?" she asked, concern evident in her sweet voice.

I looked over to her nervously. Her eyes. It was like looking into a less haunted version of Sirius' eyes. They were so very similar. "Er, yeah. Of course. What did you want to show me?" Brilliant, Harry. Way to play it cool.

She narrowed her eyes at me before turning her head toward Harley indicating that she should explain my presence in the bath tub with four beautiful girls.

Harley seemed to notice something was off. She nervously glanced at Bella before turning her attention toward me. I've got to hold myself together here. "Harry, you know how I said I might have an idea about the egg?" At my affirmative nod, she continued. "Well, when you said the egg emitted a high pitched screech I thought it might be Mermish." At my confused expression she elaborated. "It's the language of merpeople, Harry. Mermaids. Their voices can only be understood under water. Above the water humans only hear a high pitched screech."

I nodded my understanding and Nicole pointed her wand at me. My face was suddenly covered with a bubble. "You can now breathe under water, Harry."

I simply nodded an acknowledgement and sunk below the surface. The others joined me and Harley opened the egg. I listened to the poem and then brought myself back out of the water. Nicole cancelled the charm and they all stared at me.

"Well?" Nicole is getting annoyed with me. I can tell. I just don't know how to act right now. I need to get out of this room.

I decided make sure they knew I understood the task and then bolt. "Yeah, so they'll hide something in the…Black Lake, probably." Saying 'Black Lake' was difficult and made my voice shake a bit. All I could think was _Bella Black. Bella Black. Bella Black. _"We'll have an hour to find it or it will be lost at the bottom of the lake forever."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Harry?" Yep, Nicole is officially annoyed with me. "You completely skipped over the fact that you're going to have to hold your breath under water. For an hour. We can't cast the bubblehead for you in the competition, Harry. This is serious." _Oh_ _Merlin_, she said Sirius. Sirius Black's daughter is _alive_. She's sitting across from me in a _bath tub_.

Nicole snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Harry, we're trying to discuss something important with you. What's wrong? You look like you've seen a gho – " She glanced at Bella with wide eyes. " – a ghost." The last word was barely a whisper. All emotion suddenly left their faces and they all stared impassively back at me. They are so much better at this than me.

Oh Merlin! No, I need to talk to Dumbledore. I don't know how she'll react to the truth about Sirius. I need his advice. I need him to help me. I laughed weakly. "Of course I've seen a ghost, Nicole. There's plenty around the castle. I'm surprised Moaning Myrtle hasn't interrupted us in here, yet." I tugged on my hair and tried to divert the attention from the elephant in the room. "My mind is just a bit preoccupied, is all. You're going to be mad when I tell you. Look, it's about a girl. There's this girl I like and I've been thinking of asking her to the Hogsmeade weekend. I know I should be focused on the next task, but I'm just really nervous about asking her." I really hope they buy that load of rubbish.

They all eyed me skeptically before Sammie spoke, "It's alright, Harry. You deserve a break after facing that dragon. You ask that girl out, and if she turns you down it's her loss. Let Hermione know what the task entails. I'm sure she'll want to start researching."

I felt relief course through me. They are letting me leave. "You've got it."

I ran to the changing rooms and quickly changed back into my clothes before grabbing my bag and running to the Headmaster's office. "Sherbet Lemon…Pepper Imps…Blood Pops." At the last guess the gargoyles stepped aside to allow me entrance. I climbed the stairs and banged on the Headmaster's door.

"Enter." I hastily walked through the doors to see Dumbledore alone in his office sitting behind the desk. "Harry, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Sir, it's Sirius' daughter, Isabella. She's not dead. She's in this castle."

He eyed me for a moment before speaking. "Bella Swan?"

I could feel my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. "You knew, sir?"

"No. When I met her the first time the thought crossed my mind. She looks like a Black. She has Sirius' eyes. Her name is Isabella, for pity's sake. But Isabella Black is dead. How could this American girl be her? I let the thought go until she arrived in my office after verbally scolding the entire school. Her reactions reminded me so much of a young Sirius. She was so strong in her defense of you. She wouldn't even apologize. 'I'm not sorry, Professor,' she said. Sirius would have said the same thing. Again, I let the thought leave my mind easily. Isabella Black is dead. Why is it you're so sure she's alive, Harry?"

I didn't even hesitate. This went beyond the secrecy of the map. Sirius needs to know his daughter is alive. "The same way I knew Peter Pettigrew was alive." I pulled out the parchment and laid it on the desk. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The map appeared and Dumbledore gasped. I glanced up at him with a grin. "It was created by the Marauders, sir." Dumbledore chuckled at that. "Of course it was, Harry. They were quite brilliant young men."

I located the girls in their rooms. I looked to Dumbledore and pointed to the dot that read _Isabella Black._

Dumbledore's eyes lit up with happiness and a tear fell down his cheek. He looked back up to me with unadulterated happiness radiating from him. "Harry, you have no idea what this will do for Sirius."

"I think I do, sir. Can you contact him? I want to tell him straight away."

"I don't want Sirius to see her before we've had a chance to explain things unless we can be absolutely sure she'll have a positive reaction. It would kill him if she reacted poorly."

He seemed to be deep in thought for a few minutes before his face lit up. "Harry, you don't happen to have any of Bella's notes on the tasks or anything, do you?"

I pulled the note she wrote me out of my pocket and handed it to him. "Er…no. The only note I have from her is this."

He pulled a letter from his desk and laid my note next the letter. The handwriting is the same. Bella wrote a letter to…Professor Lupin? My eyes quickly scanned the letter. She had written to Remus after Sirius was found in the Gryffindor Tower. She sent him the picture of Peter from the Daily Prophet. She knows Sirius is innocent! Dumbledore was smiling brightly when he walked over to Fawkes and whispered something to him. Moments later the bird disappeared in a flash of fire.

Dumbledore then bent into the fireplace with some floo powder. I couldn't make out what he was saying. Dumbledore ended the call and stepped away from the fireplace. Moments later Professor Lupin emerged. "Harry!" He gave me a quick hug. "Albus, what's so urgent?"

Dumbledore excitedly handed Professor Lupin my note and his letter. Dumbledore looked like a little kid in a candy store. He was practically giddy. I've never seen him this way before.

Lupin's face lit up in realization. "You know who sent me the letter?" At Dumbledore's nod, he continued. "Who?"

Dumbledore looked to me allowing me to do the honors. I led Professor Lupin to the map and pointed. "Her."

Lupin's face betrayed his shock. "How can it be?"

Professor Dumbledore answered. "We don't know, Remus. Everyone believed her to be dead. Even the Death Eaters. They've admitted it under Veritaserum. They said they found her blood in the room they were keeping her in and her body burned to ash. Unless Bella remembers, I don't think we'll ever know for sure."

"It doesn't matter right now. She's alive!" Lupin started laughing exuberantly. I've never seen him so happy before. "Sirius, we must find him. He must know his daughter is alive. And she believes in his innocence!"

The pair of them were now bouncing on their heels like couple of giddy school girls. I can't really talk. I'm just as excited. "I've already sent Fawkes for him." Dumbledore informed merrily.

This was proven in the next moment when Sirius and Fawkes materialized in yet another flash of fire. Sirius took a moment to get his bearings, frantically looking around for any signs of danger. When he saw there was none he turned to me with a huge grin. "Hello Harry, what is going on? And Mooney? What are you both doing here? Why did you bring me here, Albus?"

I looked to Lupin. "You tell him, Professor."

Lupin smiled brightly at me and walked over to Sirius clutching the two notes written by Sirius' daughter. "Padfoot, old friend. Do you remember the letter I received informing me that Peter was alive?"

"Of course, Mooney. How could I forget? I actually got one, too." He pulled a small piece of parchment from his breast pocket. It read:

_I know you're innocent. I believe in you. Always._

Remus beamed and handed him my note aksing me to come to the prefect's bathroom in my swim trunks. "It's the same handwriting," Sirius noted.

Remus nodded his head furiously and Sirius grinned. "Well, who is it?" Remus took my approach and led Sirius toward Dumbledore's desk where the map was still laid out. He stopped Sirius just shy of the desk and turned him so that he was standing directly in front of him. "Sirius. This is going to be a huge shock for you. I need you to brace yourself, and remember that she believes in you. Always." Lupin quoted Bella's note.

Sirius nodded his head, eying Remus curiously, and followed him to the map. Lupin found the girls still in their room and pointed to the dot labeled _Isabella Black._ "She is the person who sent my letter and your note."

Sirius gasped sharply and dropped to his knees, bringing the map with him. He stared at her name for an undeterminable amount of time. Tears were streaming down his cheeks unabashedly. He finally brought his watery gaze up to Remus. "Mooney!" He croaked. "My baby. She's alive. My little princess is in this castle."

Remus' grin split his face in two. "She is." He agreed.

Sirius continued. "She knows I'm innocent. She believes in me. Always. She said so."

Remus' smile inexplicably grew even wider. "She did."

Sirius turned his eyes to Dumbledore. "Bring her here. Please."

Dumbledore was also smiling widely as he responded. "Of course. _Missy."_

A small house elf appeared instantaneously. "Yes Master Dumbledore, sir."

"Please ask Bella Swan to meet me in my office immediately. Inform her that I enjoy Blood Pops."

"Yes sirs, Master Dumbledore."

Remus helped Sirius to his feet. There was a look of wonder on Sirius' face that I never thought I'd have the chance to see. His face had become so haunted from the time he spent in Azkaban. The knowledge that his daughter lives has helped to erase much of that pain.

Sirius looked to me while we waited, "The Swan girl is my Isabella? The girl who helped you with the first task and screamed at the entire Great Hall in your defense? That's my baby girl?" He was grinning goofily as I nodded.

"She's her father's daughter, all right. You should have seen her in here when I was trying to scold her. I told her that her behavior was unacceptable. She refused to apologize and told me that she thought the fact that I allowed the bullying to go on in my school was unacceptable. She showed no signs of being intimidated by the wizard who brought down Grindelwald. She was right, of course. I should have tried harder to put a stop to it. I'm sorry for that, Harry."

I was afraid Sirius' grin was going to crack his face in two as Dumbledore spoke of the way his daughter stood up to one of the most powerful wizards in the world in defense of his godson. "It's fine, Professor."

I few moments later we heard steps outside the door followed by a loud knock. "Enter," said Dumbledore.

We all held our breath as the door opened to reveal the source of the elation that was practically vibrating throughout the office. At the sight of his daughter, _all_ evidence of last thirteen years of pain and heartache were wiped from Sirius' face; he stood there a new man.

I quickly looked back to Bella as she surveyed the room. Her eyes first landed on me, where they narrowed. Yes, I know I was acting strange in the bathroom. I was freaked out. You can't blame me.

They moved to Remus and lit up in recognition. Many undecipherable emotions passed through her eyes before they moved on and landed on a beaming Sirius Black. Her eyes widened and she let out a surprised gasp, covering her mouth with her hand. After a few seconds she lowered her hand and whispered, "Daddy?"

Sirius was practically glowing with happiness at the question and nodded his head affirmatively. "Yes, baby girl."

She crossed the room in seconds and launched herself into his open arms. They held each other tightly while having a whispered conversation.

Dumbledore led me and a beaming Remus to the sitting room of his personal quarters so the reunited father and daughter could have a private moment.

Bella POV

The girls made our way back to our rooms in silence. We were all lost in thought trying to decipher Harry's strange behavior. Did he figure out that I am Isabella Black? He said he was nervous about asking a girl out, but he was clearly lying. The boy is, without a doubt, the worst liar I've ever come across. How could he have figured it out, though? I can't think of a single thing that I've done to give myself away.

Sandy wasn't in the common room when we arrived back to our suite, so we all sunk down in front of the fire. Nicole, never one to beat around the bush, stated all our fears. "So, Harry knows you're Sirius' daughter. Did you see his face when I made the enormous blunder of looking to you when I said the word 'ghost'? I could practically see his mind begging us not to talk about it. Then he came up with that obvious lie about asking a girl out. He's seriously the worst liar I've ever seen. Anyway, he obviously wants nothing to do with you now. He couldn't even look you in the eye, and he practically sprinted out of the bathroom."

I put my head in my hands, miserable. "I know."

Sammie continued on with my worst fears. "What if he won't accept our help, now? He needs us in this tournament, Bella."

Harley, ever the optimist. "Maybe he doesn't really know the truth. Maybe it's something stupid. You know, like he had a sex dream about you, or something. Now he feels awkward looking at you because he molested you in his sleep."

I looked up at her in horror and chucked a pillow at her face. "Ugh, Harley! Gross!"

My three best friends broke down into giggles and we had an oh-so-cliché pillow fight. We weren't in lingerie, though. Just regular pajamas. Do girls really hang out with each other in lingerie? I hope I never get invited to a party like that. But I digress.

After calming ourselves down, Sammie tried to lead us into a conversation that would address her concerns of Harry denying our attempts to help him. "How can we convince him we just want to help him? That we're truly on his side?"

I sighed audibly. "We need to convince him that my dad is innocent. We have more copies of the article with Peter's picture in it, and Harry must have seen Peter in his rat form multiple times since he shares a dorm with Ron. We brought my pensieve, so I can pull some of my memories of Peter as Wormtail. He'll be able to see that it's the same rat. Hopefully we can sway him. If not, I'll try to convince him that regardless of what happened in the past, he's my god brother. I love him, and I only want to protect him."

Nicole obviously didn't have very much faith in my plan. "I don't know, Bella. I'm just thinking that if I were in his shoes, and even Albus Dumbledore believed that Sirius Black was my parents' secret keeper…It would probably take seeing Peter with my own two eyes to believe that Sirius was innocent. His life was destroyed, Bella. He's told us what life is like at his Aunt and Uncle's. The boy lived in a cupboard for 11 years, for Merlin's sake!" She started grumbling. "I'd really like to teach those bastards a lesson. How could they treat a child that way?"

I looked at her sadly. Harry has had a very difficult life, and he will blame it all on my dad. She's right. I have to try, though. "It's the only thing I can do, Nic. If he asks me to stay away from him, we'll just have to help him vicariously through Hermione. She will be able to look at the situation logically enough to see that we just want to help him, and she can pass on our advice disguised as her own."

My friends nodded, sadly. The three of them had grown so fond of Harry, seeing him just as much of a little brother as I do.

We were lost in our own thoughts when we heard an apparition _pop_. "Miss Swan, Master Dumbledore wishes to see Miss in his office immediately. He also says to tell Miss that he enjoys Blood Pops." With another crack the elf was gone.

The four of us tensed, wide eyed. "Harry's gone to Dumbledore." I whispered.

Sammie looked at me worried. "What do you think he'll do?"

Nicole, ever the pessimist. "Do you think he'll try to use you to lure out Sirius? I don't care if he is the most powerful wizard in the world. We won't let him endanger you or Sirius, Bella. We're going with you."

Sammie and Harley nodded in agreement. "No. Let me try and reason with him, first. I don't want to get you guys involved if I can help it, we don't know if he'll alert the ministry. I need to protect _all_ my family, not just Sirius. If things get out of hand I'll send Sandy a Patronus. She can help me."

Nicole was not impressed. "Bullshit, Bella. I get that you want to protect us, but you're our sister. Family sticks together." Sammie and Harley nodded again.

I smiled at them with watery eyes. "Alright, you can come with me, but I want you to let me speak to him first. If I haven't left his office after ten minutes, feel free to come to my rescue."

"Deal," they said in unison.

We made our way down to the office and I gave the gargoyles the password. "Blood Pops."

I made my way up the steps and knocked on the door confidently. I would be strong. I would not be used. "Enter," came Dumbledore's voice.

I walked into the room and my eyes immediately landed on Harry. I narrowed my eyes at him. Traitor.

I then moved them on to…Remy? I suppose they called him when they found out my identity. He was smiling at me with undisguised joy. I was unsure how I felt about him. I was happy, sad, grateful and resentful all at the same time. Happy because he's my Uncle Remy, and I love him. Both sad and resentful because he believed the lies about my father. Grateful that he helped Sirius after receiving my letter.

I'll have to get back to him later. I let my eyes drift to the next person in the room. I let out a sharp gasp and brought my hand to my mouth. I could feel the moisture filling up my eyes. Can it really be him? "Daddy?"

His face lit up in the most brilliant smile I've ever seen. "Yes, baby girl."

I wasted no time sprinting across the room to him, and he opened his arms to catch me as I launched myself at him. I hugged him to me fiercely, hardly believing this could be real. Tears were streaming down my face, and I could feel that Daddy was crying, too.

"Daddy, Daddy, I've missed you so much. Every day. Every day I've missed you. I love you so so much."

He was hugging me back just as tightly, almost as if he was afraid I'd disappear if he loosened his grip. "Oh, sweet girl. I've missed you too. You have no idea. Every moment of every day. The day I thought…Oh, Merlin." His voice cracked and he held me even tighter. I was struggling to breathe, but I didn't care. "It's like there has been a hole in my chest ever since that day. So you see, I was always with you. You've had my heart with you this whole time, my little princess. My sweet baby girl. I love you so much. More than anything in this world. With everything inside of me."

We were both crying uncontrollable tears of joy. "I wanted to help you, Daddy. So much. I didn't know what to do. It killed me to know that you were in that horrible place. I wanted to tell you that I was alive, but I…I was afraid that it would make it worse for you, with those horrible creatures waiting to suck the happiness out of you. I decided that when I graduated from Salem I was going to find him. I was going to get that rat bastard and bring him to the Ministry and prove you were innocent. My friends and I have all the tracking spells just about figured out."

He pulled back from me a bit so he could look into my face. "No, Isabella. That is too dangerous. You have no idea who you might run into in your search for him. You must not go after him." His voice was quite stern as he cradled my face in his hands, wiping the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Well I wasn't going to leave you in that horrible place to rot for the rest of your life, Daddy."

He smiled and chuckled before kissing my forehead and bringing me into his embrace once more. I laid my head on his shoulder and enjoyed the first hug I'd had from my father since I was four years old.

He was holding my head to his shoulder stroking my hair comfortingly. "Isabella, as you can see, I am no longer rotting in that horrible place." I smiled at that. "I just got you back and I will not have you risking your life over Peter. Oh, for Merlin's sake! You're in the bloody Triwizard Tournament! That competition is dangerous, Isabella! You could be hurt!"

I chuckled at his realization. "Pshh…that competition is child's play. I'm more concerned about Harry."

"It is _not_ child's play!" He argued. "You need to take it – " He was cut off by the door to the office banging open.

My dad looked to the open door in alarm. I turned my head quickly to see Nicole, Sammie and Harley staring at us with their mouths open in shock.

"Sirius!" They all chorused happily.

They ran over to us and formed a group hug around us. To say my father was taken aback would be an understatement. He was looking at them in complete bewilderment. When they pulled away Nicole was the first to speak. "Daddy-B! I'm your number one fan! Please, tell me how you did it? How did you get past all those Dementors without aid or a wand?"

She was looking up at him in awe and he seemed to preen a bit under her obvious admiration. "Padfoot," was all he said.

"Awesome!" was her response. "Hey Bells, it's good to know we'll be able to bust out of prison if we're ever tossed in, yeah?"

My father looked to me in question. My girls and I stood in a semi circle around him and simultaneously changed into our animal forms. He barked out a laugh and we changed back. I could see the pride in his eyes when he looked down at me. "I'm very impressed with you ladies, and happy to see that you're following in the Marauder's footsteps."

"You were our inspiration." Harley informed.

That seemed to choke him up a bit so I diverted his attention to introductions. "Dad, these are my best friends. We are known in our school as "The Scheming Skirts." His face broke into a grin at that. "This is Nicole, Sammie and Harley. They are practically my sisters."

"It's very nice to meet you three. Harry has told me about you all. He says you've helped him immeasurably in the Tournament."

They were grinning at him toothily when a door behind the Headmaster's desk opened to reveal Professor Dumbledore, Remy and Harry.

I ran over to Remy and gave him a big hug. "Uncle Remy!"

When I pulled back he was smiling beatifically. He cupped my face in his hand. "Isabella. I'm so happy that you're alive."

"Me too." I agreed with a grin, and he laughed.

I looked over to Harry and he was smiling sheepishly at me. "I would be so mad at you right now if you hadn't brought my father back to me."

He laughed. "I'm sorry. I was freaking out. I didn't know how you'd react to the news. I knew Sirius was innocent, but I wasn't sure if you did. If you believed the lies about him, I didn't think you'd take the news too well."

I smiled back at him. "I felt the same exact way, but about you. I wanted to tell you that you were my god brother, but I didn't want to distract your focus from the Tournament or have you refuse my help. We were worried that was exactly what was going to happen after you behaved so strangely earlier. How did you figure it out, anyway?"

He led me over to Dumbledore's desk where a piece of parchment was laid out. It was a map with hundreds of moving dots all over. He pointed to Dumbledore's office where I saw a dot that said _Isabella Black._ "Wicked. Where did you get this?"

He smiled brightly at me. "It's the Marauder's Map. It was created by our dads, Professor Lupin and…well, and _Pettigrew_." He spat out the name. I feel the same way, my friend.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Harry. How many times do I have to ask you to call me Remus. You can even call me Remy, like Isabella."

"Sorry, Profe – Er…Remus. Old habits, and all."

Everyone laughed and then Dumbledore cleared his throat, garnering everyone's attention. "Miss Black," his eyes were twinkling like mad, "Now that we have had a chance to become reacquainted, perhaps you can help us figure what happened all those years ago."

I nodded and took a seat next to my dad. "Do you know who took you from the Lestrange's and faked your death?"

I cleared my throat before beginning what was probably going to be lengthy conversation. "Yes, sir. It was my Uncle Regulus."

Everyone but my Skirts gasped in surprise, and Sirius spoke. "What? Reg rescued you?"

I nodded my head and pulled the money pouch from under my cloak. I stuck my hand in while thinking that I needed Regulus' letter. It materialized in my hand and I pulled it out, handing it to my dad. "He left this with the caretaker of my orphanage to be given to me the week after my 11th birthday."

He began reading the letter aloud, and I knew it would be hard for him. His emotions were clearly displayed as he made his way through the letter. Anger, sadness and gratitude seemed to be the dominant emotions. When he finished he folded the letter back up and placed it in my hand. His voice was thick with emotion as he spoke. "Wow. Reggie saved you. I…I don't know what to say. He rescued my daughter from a terrible fate and made sure that you were taken care of financially when you grew up. I wish I could have thanked him." Dad's eyes looked like they were a million miles away.

Dumbledore was looking on calculatingly. "I wonder what his plan was to bring Voldemort down."

I shrugged noncommittally. I have no idea what Regulus was up to.

"Hmm…I guess that's a question for another day. Never mind that, now. Tell me, Isabella, how did you know that Sirius was innocent?"

I felt my temper grow at the question. It always bothers me that anyone could believe that he was _guilty_. My response was filled with sarcasm and blatant disdain. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because I've _met_ him, Professor." I turned to Remy. "How could you believe it of him, Remy. It makes me so angry at you sometimes. Uncle Jamie would _never_ have believed it if he was in your shoes."

Remy looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry, Bella. I've been asking myself the same question since I received your letter. You are absolutely right. Sirius would never have reacted that way to your supposed death. He never would have betrayed James. Ever. I'm sorry, Sirius."

Dad smiled sadly at his friend. "You've already apologized, Mooney, and I was never upset with you." Dad then turned to address me. "Sweetheart, please don't be mad at Remus. Back then, we thought there was someone in our confidence that was betraying us to Voldemort. Peter was…well, Peter. Just a lump of a boy. We never thought it would be him, ever. We didn't tell Remus that there was a change in secret keeper. We didn't tell anyone. He had absolutely no reason to think I was innocent."

I turned my head away and crossed my arms stubbornly. "Yes there was. He was supposed to know you. He was supposed to be your friend."

Dumbledore laughed at my response and winked at my dad. "I told you she was her father's daughter."

"So was Peter, princess. Please, don't be like this. Put yourself in his shoes. Think of all he had lost. He lost you, James, Lily and Peter. Harry was orphaned, and he was not in a position to care for him. All the evidence pointed toward his best friend, Bella. It was not an easy time for him. Please, Remus is my best friend, and he loves you."

"Merlin, Dad, when did you get so good at laying on the guilt?" I smiled sheepishly at him and walked over to Remy with my eyes on the floor. "I'm sorry, Remy. I just hated that he had no one on his side. He's right, though. I have no reason to be angry with you."

He placed his finger under my chin and lifted my face so he could see my eyes. He was smiling warmly. "It's okay, Bella. You're both right, in different ways. I had just had the people I loved most in the world ripped from my arms, and I wasn't in a good place. However, I do know your father, and if I'd taken the time to really think about it, I would have seen that he couldn't have done it. The problem is that it was too painful to think about. I did everything in my power not to think about it at all."

I nodded my head in understanding and he pulled me in for a hug. "I'm just so glad we got you back, sweet girl." I smiled up at him and then returned to the couch next to my dad.

"I actually have a bit of a confession. I vacillated on whether I believed you were innocent for a few days. I didn't really have any solid memories of you because of the charm Regulus used. After I read the letter I flooed to wizard New York and bought a book on the war. It took me a few days to read it all, but in the end it talked about my death, which was very strange to read about, and your supposed treachery. That night I had a dream. We were at Harry's first birthday. The adults were talking about hiding and I thought they were going to play hide-and-go-seek. Peter seemed so nervous about hiding, so I said I'd be on his team. I found us the perfect spot inside a hollowed out tree, but he couldn't fit. I started leading him away to find somewhere else but he grinned and changed into Wormtail. The memory faded to the day you went after him. I don't know where I got the memory, but I saw you storming down the street and confronting Peter. He said Voldemort made him tell and you went to attack. He already had his wand drawn and he cast the curse that killed all those people and cut off his own finger. He disappeared as Wormtail and you ended up at the wand tip of a dozen aurors. When I woke up I knew unwaveringly that you were innocent."

Sirius looked stunned. "I had that same dream. I remember waking up feeling so empty. It was like I had seen your memory. Seen the world through your sweet innocent eyes. Then the scene faded away and the new one formed. That one was my memory."

Dumbledore looked positively enthralled and was eying me keenly. "Miss Black. You are a powerful witch indeed. You went to bed that night wishing you could believe that Sirius was innocent, didn't you?"

I looked at him, bemused. "Yes, sir. I didn't want to believe that my father was capable of something so horrific. I didn't have memories of my dad, but I knew that I loved him. I could _always_ feel my love for him; no memory charm would be able to block the feeling."

Dumbledore smiled warmly at my vehemence. "I believe that your mind reached out to Sirius' that night. That you wanted him to provide you proof, so he subconsciously uncovered one of the memories where you saw Peter change, and then provided you with the actual events of the night he was arrested. This is truly magnificent!"

I looked to my dad, and found him smiling at me with so much love it brought tears to my eyes. I hugged him tightly. I knew this night was coming to an end, and I didn't want to let him go.

As if reading my mind Dumbledore looked to the clock in the corner of the room. "Oh my, it's past two in the morning. I think it's time for everyone to be getting to sleep."

I held on to my father and croaked, "I want to go with you."

He had tears falling down his cheeks as he responded, "No, princess. You need to stay in the school where it's safe. Finish up your education."

"I wouldn't have to compete in the Tournament if I came with you."

He chuckled at that. "Sneaky girl. As much as I wish you weren't competing in that dangerous tournament, I cannot risk you getting caught with me."

"I have an idea." Thank you, Dumbledore. "Sirius, you are the owner Grimmauld Place. Why don't you allow me to place a Fidelius over the house? I will be your secret keeper. I can open up the floo in the girls' guest suite and that way Bella and Harry can come visit you."

I started excitedly bouncing in my seat. "I love you, Professor! I'm sorry if I was ever rude to you!" He chuckled and I looked over to see Dad's reaction. He was smiling happily.

I gave him a big hug and whispered in his ear. "You can floo into Hogwarts and we'll go running in the forest. You can't stay cooped up in that house all the time."

Remus snorted. Ah, I forgot. Werewolf hearing. "You're so like your father. I think we should officially be afraid." Sirius was grinning mischievously at me.

We approached the fireplace where Dumbledore and my dad were going to floo to Grimmauld Place. I gave my dad a big hug. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, pumpkin."

A/N:

Big thanks to my reviewers:

Light1172, haileydelacour101, Sweetie7Smiled, bloody alanna, Sheridan Malfoy Potter, vivx-chan, Termia, BloodyBleedingRose, car89, Dead 2 Da Unknown, and symmasters.

I was so excited that I got 11 reviews on the last chapter! Thanks guys!

So they were reunited, and it feels so gooood! I had a little bit of trouble with this chapter. It's such a big moment; I wanted to do it justice. I hope you guys like it. I decided to have a bit of fun with Harry, Remus and Dumbledore. Dumbledore always seems so serious in the books, but I thought he'd be a bit giddy that Bella is alive. He is going to be able to bring back the child of a man who has suffered so much for so many years. Anyway, it may be OOC, but I don't care. It's how I wanted him to react. :)

Please review! You guys have no idea how happy it makes me when I see a review alert. I become giddy like Dumbledore!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

The next two months were like a whirlwind. I had told Harry that he could tell Hermione and Ron my true identity, but that was it. I was still wary of the rest of the world knowing the truth. The Skirts and the Golden Trio spent a lot of time flooing to Grimmauld Place to keep my dad company. He even gave me and Harry these two way mirrors that we could use to communicate with him when we were away from Grimmauld. The first time I went to the house I was completely shocked. This is where my dad grew up? The place was...creepy, dark, sinister. It definitely needs a complete overhaul. The worst part of the house was the picture of my grandmother, Walburga. The woman is seriously mental. No wonder my dad ran away from home when he was 16.

There is a permanent sticking charm on her portrait, and it cannot be removed. Dad tries to keep her covered up, but I like to mess with her sometimes. She calls me all sorts of names, of course…blood traitor, shame of my flesh, yadda yadda yadda. One time I put on a nice muggle skirt suit and glasses, then conjured a nice comfy wingback right in front of her portrait. I calmly sat down in front of her with a muggle notepad and pencil. She was screaming hate at me the entire time I was creating our nice cozy space. I even added a house plant and an end table with a nice soothing water fountain.

I was going to give my grandma some therapy. Merlin knows she needs it. I cleared my throat as she glared at me hatefully. "Mrs. Black. I'm so glad you came into to see me today. I can see that you have a lot of anger issues we need to work through. Also, you seem to have the urge to dehumanize others in order to make yourself feel superior. Now, I won't be able to help you unless we figure out what's causing this unhealthy and irrational behavior. Tell me, what was your relationship with your father like?"

"Blood traitor! Shame of my flesh! Disgracing the house of my fathers!"

"Alright, Grandma, we don't have to talk about your father tonight. We will have to discuss it at some point as it's obviously a trigger for you –" She cut me off there to continue her ranting.

"I am not your grandmother! Sirius is not my son! He has not been my son since he was 16!"

I sighed audibly and shook my head in mock concern. "Grandma, this is what I'm talking about." I continued on in an intentionally patronizing tone, like I was talking to a child. "You aren't making any sense. Your irrational anger and hate is clouding your ability to reason. You call me the shame of your flesh in one breath and then tell me you're not my grandmother in the next." I tsked while pretending to write down notes in my muggle notebook. "This is worse than I thought."

She was beyond enraged now, and I was internally snickering. Her words were no longer decipherable, just coming out as angry garbled noise. After finishing up my scribbles, I brought my face back up with an enthusiastic expression of realization. "Grandma! I just thought of something. I think we might have a breakthrough!" I scooted my chair closer to her like we were going to be sharing a great secret. "Do you think you were turned into this insane, bitter shell of a woman because your parents arranged you to marry your cousin? I mean, I'd completely understand. If my father arranged me to marry Draco I'd probably lose all grasp on reality, too."

Ahhh. The look on her face. Priceless. I was gifted with more insults, but it was totally worth it. "Well, I think we made great progress today, Granny! Now, I'm going to cover you back up so you can have some quiet time to reflect on your first session."

After replacing the curtains over her portrait I entered the library located directly behind my wingback. Dad, Remy, the Skirts and the Trio were all laughing uncontrollably. They had cast a charm so they could see through the wall and hear our conversation, but we couldn't see or hear them. You know, like on every muggle cop show where they have the one way mirrors so people can observe interrogations. My dad was smiling widely as he approached me and brought me into a big hug.

We were hugging a lot. Trying to make up for the last thirteen years apart. I felt like I had been given back a piece of my soul. I still didn't feel whole, though. There was a large part of me that is off with Edward. I miss him so much. I have been trying to think of ways to tell my dad that I plan to hunt down my vampire soul mate after graduation. Hell, I just need to get up the courage to tell him that I have a vampire soul mate. I don't think he's going to take the news well. Eh, I'll tell him eventually.

Luckily it will be much easier to find the Cullens than it would be to find Wormtail. I have Eleazar, first off. If he doesn't know where they went, I can look up Carlisle in the medical doctor registration records. Hopefully they don't change their names everywhere they go. If they do we'll just have to figure out a way to alter the tracking spells to find vampires. All I know is that I _will_ find him.

Back at Hogwarts all anyone could talk about was the Yule Ball. Nicole had been talking to a seventh year Ravenclaw named Luke, and she was going with him. The other girls and I had been asked by a few guys, but there wasn't really anyone we wanted to go with. Frankly I'd rather spend the night dancing with my girls than trying to force awkward conversation with a random guy. My heart belongs to Edward, and that wasn't going to change.

Harley, Sammie and I were discussing our decision to just go on our own when we were approached by a firstie. He was visibly nervous to be addressing us. So adorable.

"P-Proffessor Dumbledore w-wishes to s-see you in his office, he l-likes L-lemon Drops." He said it quite fast and then ran off. I was dumbfounded that someone could speak so quickly and stutter at the same time. The boy had talent.

We made our way to Dumbledore's office and stopped in front of the stone gargoyles. "Lemon Drops," Sammie stated. The statues moved out of the way and we walked up the stairs to his office. I was quite shocked when I opened the door to see Sam, Embry, Quil and Paul.

I ran up to each of them and hugged them tightly. "What are you guys doing here?"

Sam spoke for his pack members. "Well, the British Ministry for Magic heard about how we helped some wizards, witches and muggles during that attack at the World Cup, and invited us to the Yule Ball. We are allowed to bring our imprints. Embry, Quil and Paul haven't imprinted, yet, and were wondering if any of you Skirts would go with them."

"Wait Wait Wait! What do you mean Embry, Quil and Paul are the only ones who haven't imprinted? What about Jake?" I was completely shocked! Jake imprinted? Who?

Paul grinned slyly, approaching me. "You'll see her when she comes for the ball. Now, Miss Swan, would you do me the honors of accompanying me to the Yule Ball?" He bowed theatrically and kissed my hand.

I let out an embarrassingly girly giggle and agreed to be his date. He smirked at me. "Good, Edward will so owe me for keeping all those young guys away from his girl."

I let out another laugh and shook my head at him. Embry ended up with Harley and Quil with Sammie. I was actually looking forward to the dance, now. It was going to be awesome to hang out with the pack, and I was so grateful to Eleazar for watching the reservation for them again.

During the remaining weeks leading up to the Yule Ball the Skirts and Hermione spent a lot of time trying to solve Harry's problem with the second task. It was actually Neville who came up with our solution in the end. He asked us what had us so stressed one day and Harley told him how we needed to find some way for Harry to breathe under water for an hour. He suggested gillyweed.

Harley said that she'd thought of gillyweed, but didn't think we'd be able to get any in time. Apparently it was very rare. Neville looked around nervously before leaning in conspiratorially, "I can get some from Professor Snape's private stores."

Huh, who woulda thunk it? Neville Longbottom stealing from the most feared Professor's private stores. I was impressed.

Professor Snape…what can be said about the greasy haired dungeon bat? The man hates me. And I mean HATES me. He took one look in my eyes and I immediately saw the burning hate lighting his up. Dad told me that Snape hated him because they were nemesis in their Hogwarts days. Dumbledore insists that Snape doesn't know I am Isabella Black, but I'm not so sure. The man _really _hates me. He's worse than Sue Sylvester, and I'm pretty sure she's the devil. Ah well, you can't please everyone.

The Yule Ball was magnificent. The decorations were mind blowing; the teachers really outdid themselves. I was wearing an ice blue gown that made me feel like a fairy tale princess. My dad flooed to our room when we were finished getting ready. His eyes watered as the saw me all dolled up.

He cupped my cheek gently so as to not mess up my makeup. "You are so beautiful, Isabella. You tell your date that if he doesn't treat you well he'll be dealing with Sirius Black. I'm sure that will keep him in line." He smirked at me, and I smiled back. I highly doubt Paul would be afraid of the threat.

"You don't need to worry, Daddy. Paul is just a friend. We have no romantic interest in each other."

"Good. You don't need to be seeing any boys romantically until you're thirty. At the earliest. You know, witches and wizards live a lot longer than muggles, so there's really no hurry. You should take your time."

The girls and I laughed, but he looked serious. Oh if you only knew, Dad. He looked to my friends and extended the warning. "You ladies can tell your dates the warning applies to them as well. I won't have anyone treating my girls poorly."

The girls smiled back at him. Dad had really taken to them. I think he was grateful to them for believing in his innocence and supporting me through his escape and subsequent man hunt.

After saying our goodbyes to my dad, the girls and I made our way down to the Entrance Hall to meet our dates. The first person I looked for when we arrived was Jake. I was _dying_ to know who he'd imprinted upon. It wasn't difficult to find the six gargantuan boys, and we started pushing our way to them. When we finally reached them I called out Jake's name. He turned around and I was more than shocked to see the girl on his arm.

"Sarah?"

"Bella! I can't believe you're a witch! No wonder we got away with all of our nefarious plans so easily!"

I smiled and gave her a hug before looking to Jake. "How did this happen?"

"Well, Sarah came to Charlie's looking for you. She wanted to know why you weren't coming back to Forks High. I was there and as soon as I saw her I was done for."

Sarah was smiling beatifically. "I've always wanted a real family, and now I've finally found the place I belong. Not only did I find my soul mate, but he comes with a whole pack of brothers."

I laughed out loud at that. She wasn't exaggerating. "That dress is amazing. It looks like it was made by a witch. How did you get it?"

"Madame Malkin was one of the people rescued by the pack at the World Cup. She offered to dress us all." Wow, that's really generous. They all looked fantastic.

I made my way to Paul after congratulating Jake and Sarah one last time. We had to be a part of the first dance since I was a champion, so I led Paul over to where Harry and his date Parvati were standing with the others. I received another surprise when I found Hermione on Viktor Krum's arm. I gave her a wink and a smirk. She just blushed and looked away. She's so adorable.

After the obligatory champion duties, I spent my night dancing like a fool and spending time with the pack. My girls really liked Sarah, and welcomed her into our group easily. They had always been impressed with her work in our "Make Lauren Mad" campaign.

After the dance I took the pack and their mates to Grimmauld to meet my dad. Dad was…intimidated. Which was very entertaining as he's usually the intimidat_or_. My Skirts and I explained everything that happened with Peter, and how they had actually captured him last summer, but he'd again escaped in his rat form. After everyone was up to speed, we spent the rest of the night playing cards and having a great time with my dad.

Time passed in a blur after the wolves left. I am now standing on a dock waiting to start the second task. Harry is a nervous wreck beside me. I told him that we are going to stick together. If something goes wrong, I want to be with him.

I heard the whistle blow and quickly cast the bubblehead charm before diving into the lake. Once I was under water I transfigured my legs into a mermaid's tail so I would swim easier. It took a few moments, but Harry finally joined me under water. The gillyweed had given him gills on his neck. They looked kinda freaky. His feet also turned into fins, and his hands become webbed, so he was able to keep up with my swimming.

We made our way through the lake searching for whatever the hell they took from us. We had to fight various unpleasant creatures, but finally came to a clearing where we saw Sandy, Hermione, Ron, Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, and Cho Chang, Cedric's girlfried. They were floating lifelessly attached to ropes that kept them in their place. What. The. Fuck?

I made my way over and immediately sent a severing charm to Sandy's ropes. Harry was cutting Ron's rope when Cedric swam in freeing Cho with a severing charm and swimming off with her. Wow, Ced, aren't you a hero?

Now, I know that they wouldn't _really_ leave the others down here if they weren't recovered by their champions, but I had a hard time just leaving them there. What if something went wrong and they drowned? Magical accidents happen every day, and I'd never forgive myself if I could have prevented it.

Harry seemed to be having the same thoughts as he turned to Hermione to begin cutting her ropes. A mermaid was quickly upon him with her trident. Okay, the merpeople mean business. I looked to my watch and there were only a few minutes left.

Suddenly Viktor swam in to rescue Hermione. He had transfigured his head into that of a shark. He looked really bizarre. Where the hell is Fleur? Harry looked to me in a panic and spoke murkily through the water, "What about Gabrielle? We can't just leave her here." At least that's what I thought he said. I nodded and quickly threw a severing charm at Gabrielle's ropes.

The merpeople didn't waste any time descending on the four of us to retrieve the captive we stole. Harry and I swum for all we were worth. We both pulled Ron in the middle, while he pulled Gabrielle and I pulled Sandy.

We were both firing stunners at our attackers as quickly as possible. I looked over to Harry to see him in a panic. His gills were disappearing. Shit. Well, I'm not just going to let him drown. I pointed my wand at his face and cast the bubblehead over him. He frantically started taking in breaths, but the distraction had allowed the merpeople to gain on their assault.

We began being pulled down so we pushed our charges toward the surface and watched them float away while we were dragged back down. We struggled for a minute or two before Harry threw his arm down pointing it at our attackers and fired a Bombarda. Subtle Harry.

We went flying toward the surface and I quickly cancelled his bubblehead before we flew out of the lake back onto the dock.

The crowd started cheering at our reappearance and I noticed Fleur was emotionally fussing over Gabrielle, and Hermione was embracing Harry. I suddenly found myself in Sandy's arms. "You know, they weren't really going to keep her down there if you didn't bring her back up?" She was smiling down at me with mirth clearly visible in her eyes.

I sighed. "I know, but magical accidents happen every day. I imagine they were in some sort of stasis. What if something went wrong and the charm was reversed? If Gabrielle drowned when I was in a position to save her, I never would have forgiven myself. I want to make Salem proud and win this tournament for the US, but not at the cost of someone's _life. _What's the point in winning the tournament if you lose yourself in the process?"

Sandy was smiling at me proudly by the end of my speech. She gave me another big hug and muttered in my ear. "You've already made Salem proud, Bella." I blushed a brilliant shade of red and thanked her humbly.

At that moment Dumbledore announced that the judges had made a ruling in the task. They decided that because Harry and I showed great courage and selflessness in our decision to stay and make sure everyone was brought back up, they were going to give us both second place. Karakoff was furious, and I _really_ wanted to stick my tongue out at him. I somehow refrained.

The standing for the second task was Cedric, me and Harry, Viktor and then Fleur. Poor girl. She's not doing so hot.

After all the tournament obligations were met, I set out to find my friends. I was deep in contemplation as to why one of them weren't down there waiting for me to rescue them when I was tackled by Fleur.

"Thank you for rescuing my sister!" She enthused in her French accent.

"You're welcome, Fleur. Nothing is worth someone's life. I never would have left her down there."

She smiled gratefully before making her way to Harry. I imagine he was about to have the same experience as me. I finally spotted the Skirts waiting for me a few yards away, and made my way over.

Sammie was first to congratulate me. "Bella, you did awesome! We all knew you'd never come back up until all the contestants were brought out!"

I laughed at how well they knew me, and repeated what I said to Sandy. Of course me friends agreed. "Hey, why weren't one of you down there? Not that I don't love Sandy, I was just surprised."

Nicole answered for them. "Well, they asked us to do it, but we said we'd only agree if they took us all. We're a package deal, after all. No way were we going to allow them to force us to choose between each other." They were right, of course. We were a package deal, and I loved my sisters evenly.

We were told the last task would be a maze with all kinds of horrific little surprises. I was beginning to realize that the people who ran the tournament were a bunch of sadistic bastards. I'm almost positive they were hoping one of us bit the big one by the end of the third task. I'm sure they were disappointed no one had so much as lost a limb thus far.

The months leading up to the task were very hectic for me and the girls. We had to sit for our NEWTS a few days after the task. These tests would affect the rest of our lives, so we had to be prepared. We told Harry to practice up on his defensive spells since we couldn't really spend much time with him. Hermione agreed to go ahead and read through the fifth through seventh year defense textbooks with Harry so that he would have more ways to protect himself. I also told him we were going to go through the maze together. I was going to make sure Harry walked out of that maze no matter what.

I also concentrated heavily on DADA in my studies. I felt confident about facing the maze, but there were so many unknowns. I promised my dad I'd get us both back safely, and that's exactly what I planned to do. I was sitting for ten NEWTS, though, so I had my work cut out for me.

Harry and I spent the night before the task with my dad, just the three of us. I knew he was worried sick. He was even taking the risk of attending the event as Padfoot. We spent the evening just enjoying each other's company. I made us a nice dinner and we tried to relax as much as possible. When it was time to get back to Hogwarts to rest up for the next day Daddy held me a bit tighter than normal. He didn't want to let me go, and I tried to assure him I'd be fine.

Let me tell you, feeling confident with the idea of the maze and feeling confident standing in front of the actual maze are two very different things. This thing was massive, and it looked scary as hell. Because I'd come in first during the first task I was allowed to enter the maze before Harry. I waited for him at the first turn, and we started making our way through together.

We worked well together, and I was very impressed with Harry's skills. It was obvious he'd been taking this seriously. He must have worked very hard practicing some of the spells he used, as they were well beyond the capabilities of your average fourth year.

At one point we came across Fleur. She was completely freaking out. As Harry and I approached her the wall started swallowing her up. Harry quickly sent up his flare so that the officials would be able to pull her out.

We continued on our way until we ran across Krum. His eyes were glassy and he looked completely out of it. What the hell? Was he Imperused? Who the hell is throwing around Unforgivables? He suddenly raised his wand to attack me when Cedric ran into the back of him. I quickly stunned him and sent up a flare. What the hell is going on here? Something's not right.

I turned around and saw the boys staring off into the distance. I stepped past Harry to get a look and saw the cup. The two boys started running for it, and I quickly caught up. I was a hell of a runner. Suddenly the walls of the maze started moving, and the wind started howling around us. Roots sprung from the ground and started dragging Cedric under.

He started screaming for help and Harry and I turned. We glanced to each other before quickly running back to him. Harry grabbed his hands while I fired a reducto at the roots. They blasted off him and Harry was able to pull Cedric back up. He looked shell shocked. "What is this tournament doing to us? You guys go ahead and take the cup. You earned it."

I looked to Harry and he grinned. "You take it, Harry. Stick it to those bastards who doubted you by winning the damn thing."

"We're going to do it together, Bella. I couldn't have done it without your help. We'll grab it at the same time."

I smirked at him. "Deal, but let's hurry. One of those branches got me right in the face. I don't want this gash on my cheek to scar."

He nodded and we ran over to the cup. "On three. One, Two, Three!"

We both touched the cup at the same time, and I felt the tell tale pull at the back of my navel before Harry and I were twirling in the vortex of a portkey. What the hell is going on?

We landed quickly and stood up to try and figure out what was happening. We were in some old cemetery. I looked to Harry and saw that he was terrified. "We have to get out of here, Bella. Now! Back to the portkey!"

"What's going on Har – Oomph!"

"Bella!" Harry was screaming my name, but I was frozen. Frozen because I was looking up into the bright red eyes of…Victoria? She was pinning me down smiling viciously.

"Funny story, Bella. I have been looking for you ever since you left Forks. Did you honestly think there was anywhere in the world for you to hide? Anyway, I stumbled across that rat, over there, and his Master. They told me that if I would fight with them they'd help me get to you after they finished killing the boy. How nice of you to save them the trouble of capturing you for me. Now for a taste of that blood that seems to have such a strong affect on my kind."

I listened to her speech without moving, completely stunned. Victoria agreed to become a Death Eater so Voldemort would help her get her revenge on Edward? It was all too much for me to take in and I couldn't seem to revive my brain's functioning capabilities until four words broke through my daze… _Finished killing the boy…_Voldemort is going to kill Harry!

I was finally able to start moving my body, but I reacted a moment too late. Victoria had already bit into my neck when I pointed my wand to her chest and summonsed my fire fiend. The pain was excruciating from the moment her teeth pierced my skin. It was like I had a fire fiend running through my neck, burning me from the inside out. The only thing that kept me sane enough to control my spell were Victoria's four words…_Finished killing the boy_…If I lost control of the fire I'd summonsed Harry would be killed.

It was through sheer willful determination that I was able to direct the fire that had taken the shape of a dragon. It seemed as though it was just as easy to control my dragon fiend as it was to control regular fire. I was able to have the fire attack her without touching my skin.

She flew up and away from me while my fiery dragon consumed her completely. When she was nothing more than a pile of ash I forced all my focus into gaining 100% control over the cursed fire, and then banished it into nonexistence.

After I finished disposing of the Fiendfyre I could feel the pain waiting to hit me like a freight train. The last think I heard before my mind started slipping was a high pitched hiss. "Let the Mudblood burn. I'll deal with her when I have my body…"

Then my mind returned to my body and I felt the pain again. It was like every nerve ending was exposed and being doused in acid while white hot razor blades were coursing through my veins. The pain was all I could see, all I could feel. There was nothing else but pain. Then I remembered…

_Finished killing the boy…_No. I could not allow the pain to take over my mind. I had to focus. Harry. I promised my dad I'd bring him back. I _would not_ break my promise.

I was finally able to return my attention to the scene before me just in time to see Voldemort stepping out of a large cauldron. He looked…frightening. His face was completely deformed…inhuman. His features were serpentine. He had no nose, just slits for nostrils, with barely any lips and bright red eyes. Like a vampire. He had no hair at all.

My survival instincts kicked in at the site of the monster before me, and I could feel my magic pulling into my core. It was instinctively trying to protect itself from the venom running through my veins. I could also feel adrenaline mixing with the venom, slowing its progress. Lessening the pain to a point where it was just bearable.

Some time must have passed while my concentration was on the venom and my pain. When my mind rejoined the scene, Voldemort was surrounded by Death Eaters and telling Harry that he was going to kill him in a fair fight. Yeah right.

He released Harry from the mausoleum that had him pinned and told Harry to fight. The scene was very difficult to follow in my pain riddled mind, but somehow the two of them seemed to have ended up in some kind of stalemate, with a giant golden shield surrounded them. I noticed that bastard, Wormtail, standing a few feet from me, well away from the other Death Eaters. I looked back to Harry and saw him talking to Uncle Jamie and Aunt Lily. I couldn't really make out what they were saying when Jamie suddenly looked down on me and started speaking to me directly.

"Bella. When Harry breaks the spell we are going to cover him so he can grab you and summon the portkey. You need to get Wormtail and take him with you. Can you manage it through the pain?"

I tried to smile at him, but I'm not sure I accomplished it. "I can do it Uncle Jamie. I love you."

He smiled sadly at me. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Your Aunt and I have had so much fun watching you grow up. We're so proud of you."

His words gave me the strength to push the pain aside and gain control of my magic. I pointed my wand at Wormtail and silently cast a Silencio followed by a stunner. He noiselessly fell to the ground and I levitated him to me. The golden shield had blocked the other Death Eaters' vision of the two of us, not that it mattered. Their attention was completely fixated on their master. I then cast a modified Incarcerous that would tie Wormtail to me. It disgusted me to no end to have my leg and armed tied to his, but if Harry managed to get us out of here, I was taking this asshole with me.

Uncle Jamie had been watching my progress as he and his wife encouraged their son to be strong and hold up the spell. When he saw that I had completed my task he told Harry to end the spell. Harry dropped his wand and the shield imploded in a golden mist impeding Voldemort's vision. Harry ran to me and grabbed me before summoning the cup.

The three of us were whisked away and landed with a thump in front of the maze. Everyone started cheering, but immediately quieted at the scene. Harry was crying over me while I writhed in pain with a ratman tied to me.

"Bella! Bella! What happened? Are you okay? Please, you can't leave me! You have to be okay!"

Dumbledore quickly assessed the situation and took control. He recast the stunner over Peter to make sure that he wouldn't reawaken and escape as a rat once more. He levitated him in front of the crowd and placed a Sonorus over his voice so he could be heard by the crowd. Several gasps could be heard as people had recognized Peter before Dumbledore had even spoken a word.

"Witches and Wizards! This man is Peter Pettigrew." He held up Peter's left hand showing the missing finger before turning his forearm to the crowd and revealing his dark mark. There were many more gasps heard throughout the stadium. "Peter Pettigrew was the Potter's real secret keeper, not Sirius Black. He was the one who betrayed them, and he was the one who killed those muggles on that street. Sirius had gone to confront him about giving the Potter's location to Voldemort, which is why he was also on the scene. Peter took the opportunity to frame him before escaping in his unregistered animagus form, which is a rat. Last term Sirius broke into Hogwarts after seeing a picture of the Weasley family in the Daily Prophet. If you pull this article, you will see the rat form of Peter Pettigrew sitting atop Ron Weasley's shoulder. He had been hiding as their family rat, Scabbers, for twelve years. So you see, Black was trying to protect Harry, not harm him. He is innocent of all charges."

I was looking up to Dumbledore from where I lay on the ground when I noticed movement at the side of the stadium the moment the speech was finished. My dad was rushing to me, and the look on his face broke my heart. Seeing me in so much pain was killing him, and I didn't know how to tell him what was happening to me. I was afraid it would destroy him.

The stands were completely silent as they watched the notorious Sirius Black run across the grass toward the girl writhing on the ground. "Isabella! Are you okay?" My name seemed to echo loudly in the otherwise silent air, and the stands took a collective gasp as they realized who I was. I couldn't speak, though. The pain was too overwhelming. "Please princess!" He begged. "Please talk to me! What has happened?"

The pain in his voice gave me the strength to reply. "Voldemort." Another gasp. "He's back. And I got bit. By a vampire." Harry had been crying over me then entire time, and now my father was joining him. I was being changed. Into a vampire.

It's never something I wanted. Not even when I was with Edward. As a witch there are lots of things I can do to stay looking as young as I want. Edward and I wouldn't have to look so strange together. I knew that he wanted for me to live out my human life and then follow me into the next realm, wherever it might take us. He never wanted me to share his vampiric fate. I didn't either. As a witch, I had the potential to live up to 200 years. We could have found plenty of happiness in that time, before moving to adventures beyond the veil.

It's not that I didn't like the idea of eternity with Edward. I loved the idea. It's not even that I thought being a vampire was a horrible fate on its own. But magic doesn't survive the change. The venom eats up everything in you that's alive, and magic _is_ life. It lives and breathes. Wizards have changed themselves in the past in their search for immortality, and every one of them regretted it in the end. How were they supposed to live for eternity without their magic?

I felt a pang in my very soul at the thought, and my magic raged within me. It didn't want to die, either. I again felt it pull into my core protectively. I thought about how I could manipulate my magic to create the vampire shield and wondered if it would work during the change. Instead of shielding my person from a vampire, I'd shield my magic from the venom. I imagined a hard shell forming around the magic within me. Protecting it from the corrosive venom. In my mind I pictured the shell to be goblin made. Only taking in that which makes it stronger. Allowing the venom to strengthen my magic without destroying it.

Once I had my magic protected and set the shell around it, it became less difficult to maintain. I could open my eyes and see what was going on around me. It seemed that I had been moved. I was laying in Dumbledore's office and he was trying to speak to me. My father was on his knees next to the couch with one of my hands squeezed between both of his.

"Bella! Bella, can you hear me?"

I moved my eyes from my distraught father to meet Dumbledore's. He was looking at me in concern. "Bella, I don't know what to do with you. You cannot stay around humans. You won't be able to contain your bloodlust for a year at the least. I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry this happened."

I responded with a shaky voice. "Can you apparate me to the wizard community in Anchorage, Alaska?"

"Well, yes, but you can't be around humans, Bella."

"I know. Write a letter addressed to Eleazar. He's a vegetarian vampire who lives in Alaska. He doesn't hunt humans. Only animals. Tell him that I've been bitten and ask him to meet me there. Caelen will be able to find him."

Dumbledore looked relieved and squeezed my other hand. "I've never heard of vampires who don't hunt humans before. I'm so glad that you have an alternative, Bella."

I smiled weakly at him. "I know of 12 such vampires, sir."

I looked over to my father while Dumbledore wrote the letter and called for Caelen. "Bella. I can't lose you. I don't care if you're a vampire. You have to come back to me. I need you, princess. You're my whole world. I can't lose you again." Tears were streaming down both of our cheeks and I absentmindedly wondered if this was the last time I'd ever cry.

I reached my hand to my father's face and stroked his tears away. "I'll get control of the bloodlust, Daddy. I actually…Well, like I said, I know of 12 vegetarian vampires. One of them, Edward…Daddy, I love him. He's my soul mate."

He looked like he was about to interrupt so I continued on quickly. "Listen to me, Daddy. Edward is a good man, and he'll help me get through this transition. He'll make sure I never hurt a human. And he's also the reason I spent most of my time in Forks trying to create a potion for vampires that would cure their bloodlust. I felt like I was right on the edge of a breakthrough when a lot of things happened. I don't want to talk about them right now, though. Point is, once I finish the change I'll be able to concentrate on the potion again. If I can cure the bloodlust I can come back sooner."

He was about to speak again when Dumbledore returned. "Caelen has taken the letter. I assume you have a meeting place away from the town?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well, I think we should go on ahead. I told Caelen he didn't have to wait until Eleazar was alone, that it was urgent as you were in need. The bird disappeared in a flash, just like Fawkes. I imagine he'll be arriving at Eleazar's side any moment. By the time your change is complete I'll have the memory charm placed over his coven, and I'll explain everything. You don't need to worry about a thing."

"Thank you, sir."

I was wrapped in my father's arms in the next moment. He was squeezing me tightly, but I didn't feel it. While I was able to manage the pain to an extent, it was still quite overwhelmed all my other senses. "I love you, baby. You come back. You come back to me, okay? And please, keep in touch. Maybe through the wolves. They can floo to Grimmauld."

"Of course, Daddy. I love you so so much. Please tell Harry, my Skirts and Sandy that I love them too. And that I'll be back as soon as I'm safe."

"I'll tell them, sweetheart."

In the next moment Dumbledore pulled me into his grip and apparated us to Alaska. I directed him to the place where I usually meet Eleazar and found him already there. Damn. That was quick.

He approached looking frantic with…Alice? "Bella! Oh my god! What happened to you? Eleazar couldn't tell me, and I can't see your future!" If Alice is here, why isn't Edward?

"Edward?" It was all I could get out before the pain started overwhelming me again.

"He's on his way, Bella. He was in South America trying to track Victoria."

I snorted. That was the wrong move as it made the pain shoot quickly though my body. "Dead. I killed her. She's the one who bit me."

"Oh my God, Bella! Please, tell me what happened!"

"Dumbledore." I never returned to full coherency after uttering the word. I vaguely heard Dumbledore ask Eleazar to picture his house in his mind before I felt us apparate away. I could then hear the voices of the rest of the Cullens, sans Edward. They were in a complete uproar. I heard a two more apparition pops and figured Dumbledore had brought back Eleazar and Alice.

When he returned, Dumbledore started explaining everything that happened, at least the pieces he knew about. I couldn't really focus on what was happening around me, though. The venom was completely consuming me, and it wanted everything. Even the magic safely stored away in my core. Time no longer had meaning. I was just burning alive. Bit by bit. But not my magic. I was keeping it safely hidden away. I could feel the aspects of the venom mixing with my magic. Strengthening it. The goblin metal shell was allowing those components to come in. I could feel it. It made me feel stronger. Strong enough to endure the pain.

There proved to be only one thing that could break through the concentration I had during my change. "Bella?"

I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful sight the world had to offer. "Edward?"

As soon as the words left my lips I felt many things at once. I felt the jagged edges, where my soul had been ripped apart at his absence, heal and become whole. I felt my heart swell with love and relief at seeing his beautiful face. And the pain, I felt it start to recede from the edges of my body.

In fact, I couldn't feel any pain in my toes or fingers. But the pain didn't disappear. No. It just relocated. Right to my heart, which started beating furiously. "Listen to her heart. The change is almost complete. It will just be a few minutes, now." Thanks for the update, Doctor – C.

As the pain got closer to my heart, I felt such an immense burning that I couldn't help but cry out. There is no agony worse than what I am feeling right now. The pain made it right on top of my heart, which finally thumped its last beat. The pain was gone. I breathed out a sigh of relief and released my magic back into my body.

Whoa. It's never felt this powerful before. I doubt if I'd even need a wand. I also still felt alive. It felt…wonderful.

I opened my eyes to see a whole new world. A new fantastic point of view. I could see…everything. Every color in the light spectrum. Every dust mote. The most beautiful face that was ever created. My Edward. I know I promised Jacob I'd make him beg, but I feel like everything happened the way it was supposed to. If Edward hadn't left, I probably wouldn't have gone to Hogwarts and been reunited with my father. I've known why Edward left for a while now. I know he loves me. That's all that matters to me right now. I need him. I love him, and I don't want to waste a single second with him.

"Bella? I know it's disorienting. It's going to be okay. Please, you must know. I love you. I lied to you back in Forks. I've been miserable without you. I never wanted this for you, but it happened anyways. I would understand if you hate me."

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

A/N:

Big thanks to all my reviewers! You always put a smile on my face!

XxHelixRiderxX, Lara, bloddy alanna, Dreamsb223, Angel JJ, MoreRandomThanYouWouldBelieve, Termia, Sweetie7Smiled, vivx-chan, vmarslovahhh18, rockrose, car89, symmasters, BloodyBleedingRose, Crazy-Sly Angel Cullen, haileydelacour101 and Light 1172!

I love you guys!

Okay, so I ended up skipping quickly through the rest of the TWT to get us to the point at the end. I know you guys were anxious to get the Cullens back, and I didn't want to waste time describing things that are straight out of GOF. I changed a few things, of course, but I tried to keep it pretty brief. I hope no one is disappointed.

I also hope you liked the way that Bella was turned and met back up with Edward. It was actually the original idea I had for a story and everything else kind of built off of it.

Let me know what you think!

Also - I am really horrible at describing people's clothes, so I put a link to Bella's dress in my profile if you care what I imagine it to look like. There is also a link of what I imagine both Sarah's character and her dress to look like. I think she looks a bit like Nessie would. :P

Please Please Please review! Since I didn't make Edward beg, I'll do it for him! Please oh, awesome readers! Please leave me a little note! :)


	15. Chapter 15

_Previously:_

"_Bella? I know it's disorienting. It's going to be okay. Please, you must know. I love you. I lied to you back in Forks. I've been miserable without you. I never wanted this for you, but it happened anyways. I would understand if you hate me."_

"_Edward?"_

"_Yes, Bella?"_

"_Shut up and kiss me."_

Chapter Fifteen:

I didn't have to tell him twice. In the next moment I felt his lips on mine. They were feather light. Sweet. Loving. I could _feel_ his love for me in his kiss. Then it seemed he remembered I wasn't so fragile anymore and his lips became more insistent. I could still feel his love but I could also feel so much more. His desperation. His relief. I could practically _feel_ the empty void our separation created in his soul fill up and overflow with love and joy at having me in his arms once more.

Wait a minute. I couldn't practically feel it. I _could_ feel it. I could feel his emotions like I was experiencing them myself, which I was, really. But I was feeling more than just my own emotions. I instinctively knew that I was feeling Edward's as well. Like an _empath_.

Then I started hearing voices. Lots of them.

_I'm so glad to have my sister back. I've missed her so much. She's so beautiful; it's like she was meant to be a vampire. Just look at her._

_Look at my son, he's so happy to have his Bella back. I am, too. I've missed my daughter so much._

_My family is finally complete again._

_Maybe now everyone will stop moping around. It was really annoying. I don't understand why my Emmett missed her so much._

_I can't believe Bella was a witch. She was so holding out on us. We could have had so much fun with her powers. Oh well, I've got my little sis back!_

_Bella's vampire gift is unlike any I've ever experienced. Vampires aren't supposed to change. They are supposed to be frozen in time. Her gift doesn't seem to be finite. I can feel that her gift has the ability to evolve. To grow. Interesting._

_Bella Bella Bella Bella. _

Edward was chanting my name over and over in his mind. He was thinking back to the months since he left, and I could see him. I could see him trying to track Victoria until her trail ran cold. I could see his black eyes; he'd been starving himself. I could see the misery clear in his face while he lay prone on the floor of some dusty old attic. He was drowning. Drowning himself in sorrow and loneliness.

_Never, Bella. I'll never leave you again. Never let go of you. We have to be together. I need you. Can't live without you. Love you. Love you so much. So sorry. So sorry I lied. So sorry I left. I wanted to protect you, but I failed. Please, I need you so much. _

The voices. I need them to stop. I can't hear this anymore. It's too overwhelming. I concentrated my mind on my Occlumency walls and reinforced them. They need to be able to keep the voices out. I focused on altering my shields so they wouldn't allow me to hear thoughts unless I made a conscious decision to listen. Ah, much better.

I mean, Legilimency can come in mighty handy. I just don't want to have voices in my head all the time. How in the world does Edward handle it? Maybe I can teach him Occlumency.

I experienced all of this within a matter of moments, and I was still kissing Edward when I had yet another surprise. It was a vision. A vision of me and Edward hunting. I can see myself taking down a mountain lion rather inelegantly. Sorry, Nic. I then move on to some deer. Sorry Jamie. I'm just slaughtering everyone I love's animal forms. Ah, well. I'm sure they'll agree it's better than the alternative. And for the love of Merlin, why am I wearing that dress? Who wears a designer dress to go hunting?

Alice.

Of course. I will not let her force me into a dress to go hunting. No way. Not going to happen.

Edward was now kissing me with greater purpose, but we were broken apart by Carlisle clearing his throat. "Ahem."

Edward opened his beautiful eyes and smiled the most brilliant smile. "Bella," he breathed. "I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry I lied. I wanted you to be able to move on. To live out your human life without the dangers of my world. I said those things to try and make you hate me. To make you want to forget me." The anguish was clear on his face as he revealed his motives. It was also clear that he didn't _really_ want any of those things. He just thought it would be best for me.

"You're so absurd, Edward. I'd have to forget myself, too. You're a part of me, Edward. I part of my very soul."

"I understand that, now. Your friends were here when I got back, just before you finished transforming. They explained that you were a witch, at which point the concealment charm allowed me to hear my family's thoughts on magic. I saw everything they'd been told by Dumbledore, so I was able to get up to speed quickly. Then they told me that you were planning on coming to find me after you finished school. That once you realized I lied because I love you, and wanted to protect you, you refused to live your life without me."

I looked down shyly. What the hell? "I'm already wearing the stupid dress! Alice! I will not go hunting in this blasted dress!"

The Cullens and Eleazar's coven were all staring at me curiously. Alice was smirking. "Yes you are. I've seen it."

"Yeah, so have I. I'm telling you right now, it's not going to happen. I'm changing before I leave this house."

"What do you mean you've seen it, too? Are you getting visions, Bella?" Carlisle asked, looking like a scientist excited by a new discovery.

I nodded my head and could feel the curiosity and apprehension rolling off everyone in the room. I looked to Jasper. "I can feel everyone's emotions, too. They feel curious and apprehensive."

He nodded, wide eyed. I turned my attention to Edward. "When I first woke up I could also hear everyone's thoughts. I could…" I choked up and continued with a shaky voice. Well, as shaky as my new bell like voice could become. "I could see your thoughts. You were thinking of the months of our separation. How you starved yourself and allowed the misery to consume you."

Edward pulled me to him tightly. "I don't know how to function without you, Bella. I need you."

I rubbed his back comfortingly. "You have me, Edward. You've had me since the moment I first laid eyes on you."

"Bella?" Carlisle could no longer contain his scientific curiosity. "Do you mean to say that you can't hear our thoughts anymore?" I decided to listen in on his musings.

_How fascinating. Her gift seems to allow her to use the gifts of those in her vicinity. I wonder how it works if she's no longer hearing our thoughts. She's in Edward's arms, but she can't hear us. _

"No, Carlisle. Did Dumbledore explain to you about Occlumency?"

At their negative response I explained the theory and practical uses of Occlumency. I told them that when I realized I could hear everyone's voices I reinforced my mind's walls to block the voices from being heard unless I make a conscious effort to listen. "I think I can teach you Occlumency, Edward. You'll be able to block the voices unless you want to hear."

Edward's thoughts seemed to lead him down a different path of thought, blocking voices being the last thing on his mind. "Bella? Does this mean you can lower your shields, as well? So that I can hear your thoughts?"

Damn. I don't really feel comfortable lowering my shields. I know that Edward would never mentally attack, but it would still be very difficult to ignore the instinct to protect my mind in order to lower the shield. "I don't know, Edward. Maybe we can try sometime, but not right now. All of this is so new and my instinct to protect myself is too great."

He smiled happily. "It's okay, love. We've got all the time in the world."

Eleazar spoke up. "Speaking of having all the time in the world, we can discuss all of this later. Bella just woke up from her transition. I'm sure you're really uncomfortable, Bella. Why don't you let Edward take you hunting?"

I honestly hadn't really felt the burn until Eleazar mentioned it. I lifted my hand to my throat. It felt dry, parched. It wasn't too bad, though. I looked over to Edward who was smiling adoringly at me. "Let's go, love. You'll feel better once you've fed."

We made our way out of the house and started running into the mountains. I felt so free. It was almost as fun as riding on my Firebolt. _Almost._ I was still tethered to the ground. Well, sort of. I could jump pretty high.

Edward and I were laughing and running around like goofy kids when I stopped dead.

I looked down at my…dress. "Oh for Circe's sake! I forgot to change out of this damn thing!"

Edward started laughing out loud when suddenly I smelled it. The most intoxicating scent I could have ever imagined filled my lungs and my throat burst into flames. So this is that burn they were talking about.

I didn't think. I just reacted. I took off in the direction of this mouth watering aroma and heard Edward calling after me. No way, Edward. This one is mine. I felt my instincts to protect my hunt flare within me and it awakened my magic. Edward is the fastest. I have to be faster.

I put all my new born strength into my legs followed by a burst of magic. The magic changed me into my lab form. Vampire dog? It seems the magic allows my vampire body to retain my animagus ability. Awesome.

Being able to run with four legs allowed me to travel through the forest at an alarming speed. My vampire reflects allowed me to dart through the trees unscathed and it wasn't long before I landed on top of the delicious scent. I had a vision of what I would find in the clearing moments before I stepped through it. It stopped me dead in my tracks, and I transformed back into a human.

It was a family of four. A husband and wife and their two small children. They were camping deep in the woods. The father was bleeding from a gash in his stomach. He was trying fruitlessly to distract a bear that had descended upon his family. I shook free of the vision and opened my eyes to the clearing in front of me.

I reacted on instinct. Human instinct. The bear had his arm raised, about to deliver a death blow to the brave man willing to die to protect his wife and children. I burst through the clearing and tackled the bear to the ground. My vampire instincts surfaced, and I had the bear drained in less than a minute. Mmmm…delicious. Emmett has the right idea.

As my head cleared I realized the children were screaming. I could feel the terror rushing through all of them, as well as the instinct of the parents to protect their children. I was approaching them slowly when Edward arrived to the campsite. He had his hands extended in that universal way that said he meant no harm. "Bella. You don't want to do this. Come on. Let me get you out of here."

"It's okay, Edward. I'm not going to hurt them. I want to help them. I still have my magic. I am going to heal the man. He has lost so much blood already. Then I am going to modify their memories so they won't remember any of this. They'll just remember that the father woke up feeling ill."

Edward was stunned. "You still have your magic? Are you sure?"

"Yes. I focused on protecting it the entire time I burned. I was able to keep out the destructive aspects of the venom, only taking in what would make it stronger. My magic feels more a part of me than it ever has before. It's wonderful, Edward."

I saw the movement that the humans couldn't, so I wasn't surprised when Edward's arms flew around me in a tight embrace. The humans gasped in surprise.

"How…he was over there, and then in the next second he was over there. What is happening?" The father was feeling so many different emotions it was hard to decipher between them. He seemed to be scared, protective, curious, confused, grateful, and hopeful all at the same time.

Edward was smiling beatifically. "I'm so glad your magic survived, Bella! According to Dumbledore it's unheard of! He was worried that you would become very depressed without your magic, but you didn't lose it! Oh Bella, I'm so happy for you!" He was. I could feel it. Edward was down right giddy.

I smiled back at him and turned toward the family. The man was losing more blood by the second, he really needed to have that wound closed. I walked up to him, explaining that I wasn't going to hurt him. "I'm just going to close up your wound, sir." At his nod I raised my hand and channeled my magic into the spell.

_Vulnera Sanentur_

I watched as the wound started to weave itself back together, and heard the man's breaths begin to even out. When the wound was completely healed I cast two more silent spells.

_Tergeo…Repairo_

The blood that was covering the man instantly disappeared revealing the perfectly unmarred skin beneath it. His clothes then weaved back together in much the same fashion as his skin had moments before, leaving his shirt fully intact.

The man still looked a bit peakish. He'd lost a lot of blood. I wasn't sure he'd be strong enough to hike back to civilization. I then remembered the preparations for the final task of the TWT. The girls and I made a lot of potions to take into the maze in the event that we needed something quickly. There were a couple vials of blood replenishing potion in the bag hidden away in my TWT robes.

_Accio bag_

I felt my magic summon the bag from my discarded robes, making its way to me. I turned my attention back to the humans while I waited for the bag. "Hello. My name is Bella, and I'm a witch vampire. I know this is a lot to take in right now, but everything is going to be okay. I have summonsed a blood replenishing potion that should be arriving any minute. It will give you the strength you need for the hike back. You'll still be a bit sluggish, but you should be okay. You are not supposed to know about magic or vampires, so I will be modifying your memory. You'll just think you woke up feeling ill."

"My children won't remember this? I don't have to worry about it haunting their dreams?" I could feel the man's concern for his children, and it really touched my heart.

"No, sir. They won't remember a thing. Just an amazing camping trip."

The man looked at me and I could feel his gratitude. "Thank you," he breathed.

The bag came gliding into my hand in the next moment and I searched through the contents finding the blood replenishment easily. I extended the vial to the man. He drank it quickly and made a sour face, which caused me to snicker. "I know. It tastes a bit coppery."

I grabbed Edwards hand and led him out of the clearing. When we were out of sight I used Legilimency on the four humans to modify their memory of this morning's events. I added that they saw a bear, but that it didn't attack. I made the father think that perhaps he shouldn't bring his family so deep into the woods. Edward and I watched as they discussed the father's illness and plans to pack up and head home.

Edward and I then turned around and ran away hand in hand. "How did you do that, Bella? You were directly next to a human covered in blood. You are an hours old vampire. You should not have been lost to the bloodlust."

"I don't know, Edward. I got a vision of what I was hunting moments before I broke through the clearing. I knew that I would find four humans being attacked by a bear. I reacted on instinct and protected them. Once I knew they were human, drinking from them never even entered my mind. I drained the bear, though." I beamed back at him. "Bears are yum."

He looked at me with undisguised awe. "You're amazing, Bella." He pulled me into his arms and I took in his smell. I also smelled something else. It smelled pretty tasty.

"What is that smell, Edward?"

He inhaled deeply and smiled. "Mountain lion. I think it's time you try _my_ favorite."

I smirked at him and followed the scent to the unsuspecting cat. He fought valiantly, but fell in the end. The dress was completely destroyed and covered with blood by the time I was finished. I looked up to see Edward leaning against a tree, watching me. He thought I was adorable. I could feel it. I had just brutally murdered this noble cat and my boyfriend thought it was _cute_. I giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Everything." I laughed. "I'm just so happy right now. I'm not gonna lie. I was devastated when I first realized I was changing. I didn't want to be a vampire. But since I was able to save my magic, it just feels…right. Like this is the life I was meant for. To be with you. To be like you. It's my destiny. I can feel it." I had cleaned the blood off my body and repaired the dress as I made my way to Edward.

I arrived directly in front of him as the last word passed my lips. In the next moment he spun me around and had me pinned to the tree while he kissed my passionately. His feelings were overwhelming me. His love. It is so strong. So true. So Eternal. Feeling it radiating off him filled my soul with such amazing warmth. It would have brought tears to my eyes if they were still capable of producing them.

I could also feel his lust. Edward wants me. Badly. I want him, too. We started getting carried away when I was hit with a vision. We'd been gone too long, and because of my magic Alice wasn't able to see us. They were about to come looking for us.

I pulled away from Edward, breathing heavily. How on Earth does this man make me breathless when I don't even need to breathe? "We need to head back. Alice can't see through my magic and they're getting really worried."

He groaned and kissed me once more. "Alright sweetheart." He put his forehead to mind and stared lovingly into my eyes. "I'm glad your vision interrupted us. I don't want our first time to be like this."

He started at my lips and then kissed his way down my jaw toward my ear. He whispered, "I want you to be Mrs. Edward Cullen before we take this step, my love."

My body shuddered at his words. Edward wants to marry me? "I want to tie myself to you in every way possible, Bella. I love you. I want to be with you always."

Yep, Edward wants to marry me. "Good luck asking my fathers for permission."

He groaned at that. "I have to ask Sirius _and_ Charlie, don't I?"

"Yep. Don't worry, though. I'll marry you even if they say no." I laughed at his discomfort and took off toward Eleazar's. We stopped along the way when we came across a herd of deer. After taking down a large male and a doe, I felt so full I'd explode. The fire left my throat and I felt sated and completely myself. I was still Isabella Black.

About a mile from the house we ran into the others. I listened for their thoughts and they were in a frenzy. Alice had me enveloped in her arms so quickly I almost missed her approach. "Bella! I couldn't see you. You've been gone for so long and I couldn't see you!"

"It's fine, Alice. It's my fault, actually. I was able to save my magic in the transformation. You can't see through it, and I used it while we were out."

The others were shocked, especially Eleazar. "You still have it, Bella! But that's wonderful!"

I smiled happily. "I know! I can even still transform into my animagus form!"

I demonstrated, and started running circles around them. I could run really fast as a vampire dog.

Everyone laughed as I jumped on Emmett knocking him to the ground while licking his face. I transformed back and the twelve of them were just staring at me in awe.

Eleazar embraced me and congratulated me again on retaining my magic. He then introduced me to Carmen, Tanya, Kate and Irina.

After the introductions we started leisurely making our way back to their house. During our walk Edward told the others about what happened with the humans. To say they were astounded would be a massive understatement. They were bewildered. Dumbstruck. Taken aback. Befuddled. Flabbergasted. In a dither. Point is, they were thunderstruck. I, Bella Black, had managed to thunder strike twelve vampires.

Now that takes talent.

After they finished fawning over my great achievement of resisting killing four innocent people, the conversation moved on to my gift. The others looked to Eleazar to explain the intricacies of my ability. "I'm having a hard time getting a read on your ability, Bella. I mostly just feel that it has the ability to evolve, or grow."

I had a much better understanding of it after the last few hours, because I also had Eleazar's ability. He could sense the extra abilities of vampires and possible abilities of humans if they were to turn. He couldn't get a full reading on mine because of my Occlumency shields. I could use his ability to analyze it, though. I was the freaking Peter Petrelli of vampires. I told them as much.

"I understand my gift. I'm the freaking Peter Petrelli of vampires."

Almost all of them looked confused. Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward were the only ones who seemed to catch my reference. I glanced into their thoughts to see that Emmett and Jasper had immediately understood what I meant. Alice saw a vision of my explanation and Edward had heard all of their thoughts. Their reactions varied from apprehension to unadulterated excitement. The latter was rolling off Emmett in waves.

I took an unneeded breath before explaining myself to the others. "Peter Petrelli was a character on the show Heroes. The show was about humans who had super human abilities. There were characters that could fly, manipulate time, manipulate technology, regenerate, read minds, paint the future, and much more. There was on character, Peter Petrelli, who could do it all. Whenever he came into the vicinity of someone who had an ability, he acquired it. From that moment on he would have the ability, regardless of whether he ever saw the person from whom he'd acquired it again. I have the same ability as Peter. When I am within the vicinity of a vampire that has an ability, I acquire it too."

I held up my hand and allowed the electricity to visibly run across it. Kate let out a gasp. "That's my ability!"

I smiled at her weakly. "Yes. It wasn't as obvious at first, like the others. It's kind of hard to ignore the fact that you can feel people's emotions and hear their thoughts. It's impossible to overlook a vision of the future passing through your mind. It's pretty easy to miss your gift. I already knew about Eleazar's. Did he tell you how we met when I was 13?"

At their affirmative nods, I continued. "He told me that he could see that I'd have an amazingly powerful ability if I were to ever become a vampire. He couldn't quite get the flavor of it. He thought it was just because I was a human, but I think it was because it's not finite. As Eleazar says, it grows, evolves. It…_changes_." The last word was barely a whisper. Could it be?

"I change. I can change into my animagus form. My ability has the power to change. My venom…could it be?" I was talking more to myself than the others at this point, lost to my inner musings.

Edward slipped his hand into mine and squeezed. "Bella? Sweetheart? What is it?"

"I need to talk to my Skirts. Now. I'm sorry, but it's really important. I'll be back in a little while. I promise."

I apparated away quickly, leaving behind the protesting voices. I landed on the steps of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

I took another unneeded breath and paused. Is this a mistake?

_Come on, Bella. You were able to stand in front of a complete stranger while he basically bled out in front of you. Once you realized they were human you no longer even associated their scent with prey. Of course you can refrain from killing your family._

After reassuring myself that'd I'd keep my control I opened the door to my father's house. I quietly walked through the hall to the kitchen and found Dad, Remy, The Skirts, The Trio, Dumbledore, Sandy and the Weasley clan all looking morose.

"Who died? Oh right, me." I was smiling widely as they all turned as one to stare at me with gaping mouths.

My father stood and slowly approached, much to the dismay of Dumbledore. "This isn't safe, Bella!"

I glanced at him before moving to my dad and allowing him to embrace me. I breathed deeply taking in my father's scent. There was no fire in my throat. No excess of venom in my mouth. All I felt was the love and relief radiating off my father. He's not food. He's my dad. I could never hurt him.

"I love you Daddy. I promised I'd come back."

He laughed happily. "Yes you did, pumpkin. I just didn't expect for that to happen so soon."

I laughed. "Yeah, well it turns out I'm not that great of a vampire. I have no desire to drink from humans. When Edward took me hunting I came across a family of four camping way too deep in the woods. I started hunting them when I caught the scent, but when I realized they were humans…there was nothing. No bloodlust. It's like the knowledge that the scent is human flipped a switch inside me. I no longer associate the smell with food."

He pulled back and smiled brightly. "That's amazing, sweetheart." His eyes widened as he took in my new appearance. "Wow, Bella. You were always such a pretty girl, but now…you're otherworldly beautiful."

If I could have blushed I would have been a bright shade of red right about now. "Thanks, Dad. I know the eyes are freaky right now. The Cullens said it's because of all my human blood that's still in my body. In a few months the red will leave my eyes and they'll turn a golden color."

In the next moment I was wrapped in hugs from everyone in the room. Harry was euphoric, and he held me as tightly as he could. "I was so scared, Bella. I'm sorry I asked you to win the tournament with me. If I'd just taken it myself, like you wanted, none of this would have happened. It's all my fault."

I smiled lovingly at him. "Then thank you, Harry. I feel great. This was meant to happen, Harry. Whether it happened in that graveyard or somewhere else is irrelevant. This was fated. You have no reason to feel guilty, and it will upset me if you do. I'm happy, Harry. So happy."

He smiled brightly, nodding his head in agreement, and I continued being passed around the room. My family's joy at seeing me again so soon thrilled my very being. My magic reveled in the happiness permeating the room and started swirling around me. Everyone gasped as they felt my magic dancing merrily around them.

Dad made his way to me and held my face in his hands, bringing it up to look in his eyes. "Princess, is that your magic? You were able to save it from the transformation?"

I smiled toothily at his bewildered expression. "Yep. I've always had a strong connection with my magic, being able to control it in ways others cannot. When my magic realized it was under attack I could feel it drawing into my core, trying to protect itself. I imagined a shell of goblin metal forming around the magic, keeping the corrosive aspects of the venom from destroying it. Since the protection was goblin made, it kept everything out except that which makes it stronger. Because of this my magic wasn't destroyed during the change, it was strengthened. I can even feel the magic in my venom. It's the reason I came so suddenly, actually. I think I may have had a breakthrough in my bloodlust potion, and I wanted to speak the The Skirts about it."

We were all sitting at the table now, and Harley, Nic and Sammie were eyeing me excitedly. I quickly filled in the others on my progress up to this point. "Okay, so I developed a potion that could remove the feeling of thirst that causes a vampire's bloodlust. It works. Temporarily. I had Eleazar try it out and he felt the fire leave his throat completely for about two hours. Then it was back with a vengeance. The potion is too complex to be useful, as you'd never be able to keep them stocked enough to dose themselves every two hours. The potion needs something else in order to make it useful. Something to make the vampire's instincts _change_."

Everyone else looked introspective, except my girls. They were bouncing in their seats in excitement. "Your venom!" They chorused simultaneously.

The confusion in the room grew at their outburst and I hastily explained. "Vampires are frozen in time. They never really change, or evolve. Their base characteristics are static. The only real change that happens in a vampire's life is meeting their mate. It changes them irrevocably. But me. I can change."

I decided to show the others my animagus form. The only people who knew of it were my girls, Dad and Remy. "I became an animagus when I was 14. I was inspired by Dad. I can still transform." I immediately changed into a chocolate lab and barked merrily at their shocked faces.

I quickly changed back and continued on with my thoughts on the potion. "So you see, if I can change, and my venom contains my magic…"

Sammie finished for me. "If you add a drop of your venom to the potion it will give it the ability to change the vampire permanently. The bloodlust would be gone forever."

Everyone was smiling brightly at this, and Harley disappeared up the stairs. "How is your bloodlust now, Bella. Is it there at all?" Ron wondered.

"It's not that bad right now, but I'm overly stuffed. I had a bear, mountain lion and two deer."

"Hey!" Nic was offended.

"Sorry, Nic. It was delicious." I smirked at her.

Everyone but Sammie, Dad and Remy were back to being confused. I didn't want to out Nicole's secret, so I continued on. "I am really sated right now. When I was hunting I did feel it, though. And even though I'm sated, blood is still a thought in the back of my mind. Just waiting for me to get thirsty again so it can flare back up."

Harley returned with four vials. It's what we have left of the potion. I took them from her gratefully. "I'm going to go back to Alaska and explain the potion to the vampires. Do you think you can start brewing the remaining doses? We'll need nine more."

"You got it, Bella. They'll be ready in two weeks," Harley assured.

I thanked her and turned my attention to Dad. "Can we tell them the location to Grimmauld? I want to come back; I don't to be away from you. But I can't be away from them, either. They're my family, too. Please Daddy, I know we can trust them here."

"Of course, Princess. I want you back here and you'll need their guidance while you adjust to your new life." Dad turned to Dumbledore. "Can you go with her back to Alaska and give them the location?"

"Of course. I met everyone but Edward already, and I'm sure they'll be fine here. I need to place the concealment charm on Edward, anyway. I'll do it when you return."

I'm sure that if I were with any other group of people my smile would be frightening. It was wide and toothy, showing off all my brand new vampire teeth. They weren't afraid, though. I could feel their happiness. They had thought they wouldn't see me for at least a year, but we were all going to be together again.

"Thank you, sir. You all have no idea what this means to me. I'm going to stay away for the two weeks it takes for the girls to brew the potion. It will give us time to test it. I'll take it, and see if three others want to try it with me. We won't hunt for the entire two weeks and see if our bloodlust returns. I want to make sure that everyone is safe here. People tend to end up bleeding a lot in the magical world." I smirked at them. It was true. A regular school nurse would have a stroke at the injuries that occur every day around a magical school.

They all chuckled and nodded. We could all handle two weeks apart. It's worlds away from the years we were preparing ourselves for.

I transfigured a container that would safely hold the potion during apparition. After saying my goodbyes Dumbledore and I spun on the spot and landed in Eleazar's living room. The vampires were frantic and on me in a second.

"Bella!" Edward looked so worried. I should have waited and explained what was happening, but I was too excited. He grabbed me quickly and embraced me tightly, like he was afraid I'd disappear again. "What was that? You just disappeared. Don't ever do that to me again."

I hugged him to me just as fiercely and tried to placate his worries. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to make you worry. I was just so excited!"

"Excited about what?"

I spent the next half hour explaining to them how I started researching a way to remove the bloodlust of a vampire. Eleazar contributed by explaining his trials and how the potion worked temporarily, but was unable to make a permanent change. All of their faced lit up with understanding at that word. _Change._ It was all about the ability to change.

"That's why you left so suddenly. You realized your venom was the missing ingredient." Alice voiced everyone's thoughts.

I nodded in affirmation and asked Carlisle for an eyedropper. It seemed a lot more dignified than spitting into the vials. He returned with one and I allowed venom to pool in my mouth. I used the eyedropper to add a drop of venom to each of the four vials.

"Anyone want to join me in the trials?"

Jasper had a vial in his hands before I even finished the sentence. Eleazar and Edward ended up taking the other two. I held up my vial up to the others. "Cheers!" We clinked vials and downed the liquid in one swallow.

The relief was instantaneous. I didn't really feel overwhelmed by the thirst before taking the potion, but afterwards I realized that the burn was there the entire time. It just wasn't unbearable. After taking the potion the burn was completely gone. I didn't feel any need for blood. I knew that I would have to hunt to survive, and the thought of blood was still pleasing, but more like the way a chocolate cake is pleasing to a human.

I was lost in my musings about feeling the absence of the ever present thirst when I was lifted into Jasper's arms. He was laughing the most carefree laugh I'd ever heard. "Bella! I don't feel any thirst or bloodlust at all! I feel like a new person! So free. Free to be me. Thank you, Bella!"

He set me down and I looked into his happy eyes. We both gasped at the same time. "Your eyes!" We exclaimed simultaneously.

"Your eyes are blue!" I shouted excitedly.

"Your eyes are grey! They look just like they did when you were human!"

I turned to Edward. His eyes were the most brilliant shade of green. Almost like Harry's eyes. I didn't think he could get any more handsome, but here he was, proving me wrong.

I approached him and pulled his face to me. I kissed his lips while staring wonderingly into his eyes. "Your eyes are green. So beautiful."

He stroked my cheeks just under my eyes. "Your eyes. I never thought I'd see these piercing grey eyes again. I'm so glad I was wrong."

I looked to Eleazar and saw Carmen staring into his brown eyes. He glanced up and smiled brightly. "You're so brilliant, Bella."

"Well, really, it was a group effort. I couldn't have come up with it without my friends."

"That's nonsense and we both know it. You may have bounced ideas off of them, but you put in all the effort researching, and it was your brilliant mind that put the pieces together. Don't sell yourself short. This is your achievement."

I smiled shyly at him and buried my face into Edward's chest. I was brought out of my embarrassment by Dumbledore clearing his throat. I'd completely forgotten about him.

"Hello again, everyone. Bella asked me to come and reveal the secret of the location of her father's home. It is located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Now that you know the location, you will be able to see the house. Bella can help you get there, should you decide to come. Edward, you will need to come at least for a little while so that I can place the memory concealment charm over you."

Edward looked to me. "Bella? Are you leaving?"

I looked into his face. He was feeling vulnerable. How could he think I was leaving without him? "Yes, but I want you to come with me. I'd like for everyone to come, but I understand if you choose not to. Please understand that my father needs me, and I need him. We've been apart for so long, and we just found each other again. I don't want to be apart from anyone in my family. I also need to go back, because Voldemort…I assume Dumbledore explained about him?" At their affirmative nod and sour faces I continued. "Well, he just came back. He's very dangerous, and I can't leave my family there to fight without me. I need to protect them. To be there with them. I could be a huge asset. I'm a vampire who can still do magic. Please come with me, Edward."

He smiled and pulled me into his arms. "Of course, Bella. You just try and leave without me."

I chuckled into his chest and turned my face to address the others. "Anyone else want to come?"

They were all smiling and nodding their heads. Even Rosalie and everyone in Eleazar's coven seemed excited to join in this adventure. Alice and Emmett were literally jumping up and down. "When do we leave? I can't get any visions through all this interference!"

I laughed at my sister's exuberance. "Two weeks. The girls will be finished brewing the potion, so everyone else can have a dose. I also want for the four of us who've taken it to refrain from hunting during the next two weeks. It will allow us to ensure the potion really worked."

Carlisle spoke for the rest of the Cullens. "Excellent idea, Bella. So that means we have two weeks to get our affairs in order?"

"Yep. Two weeks."

A/N:

Big thanks go to my reviewers! I love you guys!

Lara, bloody alanna, carj89, AFlawInCourage, vivx-chan, RiTuXa, Angel JJK, Sweetie7Smiled, haileydelacour101, Termia, DreamerHorse, and Dreamsb223

You guys keep me motivated! I've kind of reached the point in the story where all my original ideas have run their course. I am just going to kind of allow the rest of the story to go where my muse takes me.

I'm actually toying with the idea of having Sirius fall in love with one of the Denali women. No one seemed to care for having Leah imprint, so I'm just going to leave her out of the pack. She's not my favorite, anyway. I thought one of the sisters might be good for Sirius, though. He could use some lovin stuck in that house all the time. Let me know what you think!

Now, I know that other stories have the vampires' eyes reverting back to their human color, most notably in The Wisdom Seeker, which IMHO is one of the best stories. EVER. If you haven't read it and it's predecessor, The Secret Keeper, what is wrong with you? Go read them. Now. A.E. Giggle is the author.

Anyways, I was always planning for Bella to create a potion that would cure the bloodlust, but I added the eye color thing at the last minute. I felt like Bella's eyes were one thing that always made Bella feel connected to Sirius in all those years they were apart. I wanted her to be able to keep that.

Welp, that's chapter Fifteen done and dusted. I hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I wanted to refresh my disclaimer in this chapter. I do not own anything from Twilight or Harry Potter. No copyright infringement is intended. The details in Edward's explanation about the events following Bella's attack in Port Angeles come directly from the portion of Midnight Sun posted on Stephanie Meyers' website. I added the part about the trial at the end, but most of it is all Meyers.**

Chapter Sixteen:

Time passed very strangely in the beginning. The way days no longer had a clear beginning and end was very disorienting. As a human, you perceive the day to begin when your alarm wakes you up in the morning. The day ends when you drift off to sleep at night. As a vampire, the days aren't broken up by sleep. Time just flows, like one long endless day. It definitely takes some getting used to.

The first week I basically spent every moment with Edward. We spent most of the time off on our own. We had missed each other so much while we were apart. We needed this time to be together, and I was finally able to tell Edward everything about my life. He had gotten a short introduction to the magical world from Dumbledore and The Skirts, but it wasn't really an in depth explanation of what my life has been like.

Luckily the pouch still recognized that I was Isabella Black, so I was able to retrieve Regulus' letter. I felt like that was the best place to start. His emotions overwhelmed me a bit as he read the letter. He felt incredibly helpless and angry that someone had plotted to kill me when I was just four years old. When he read that Voldemort had decided to make me his mate rather than kill me, his emotions warred inside of him. On one hand he was grateful that _something_ made Voldemort decide not to kill me. On the other hand he was enraged that someone else claimed his mate. Then he would feel guilty for being angry about something that saved my life. Finally he felt overwhelming gratitude towards my Uncle Regulus for saving me from that fate and bringing me to Port Angeles.

We didn't say anything for a few hours after he finished reading the letter. We just held each other tightly without saying a word. Edward needed the time. Needed to reassure himself that I was safe. That I was his. I gave him all the time he needed, allowing my quiet presence to calm his fears.

I finally felt him relax around me and knew it was okay for me to continue on in my life story. I told him about living in the orphanage and feeling like an outcast. I told him about Doc and what a positive influence she had on my life. I discussed my adoption, and what it was like living with Renee and Charlie. I moved on to when Renee left and how I was forced to the responsible party in our relationship. He laughed when I told him about all the mischief I would get into, and how I'd always loved to mess with people.

I talked about spending my summers with Charlie. How I'd spend a lot of time down at the Rez with Jake. We discussed all the trouble the two of us would get into together, and how he has always felt like a brother to me. We moved on to when I found out that I was a witch, and everything we did in NYC that first summer. I promised that I'd take everyone to a wizarding district soon.

I told him about finding out about Sirius, and everything that went along with the realization. We talked about how hard it was for me to live my life knowing that my father was locked away for a crime he didn't commit. We had the most fun talking about my years at Salem. He was fascinated by the wizarding world, and looking forward to learning as much as he could.

He was a bit upset with me for putting my name in for the TWT. He had asked me not to do anything reckless or dangerous, and the TWT definitely fell into both categories. I sheepishly admitted that he may have been part of the reason why I submitted my name. I wanted to be reckless. He didn't really like the sound of that.

After I finished explaining everything that I could remember about my human life, I floo called Grimmauld Place and asked one of the girls to bring me my pensieve. Some of the memories you really need to see for yourself. The one I was most interested in showing my vampire family was the first task of the TWT. I thought it would earn me some points that I was able to hold my own against a dragon when I was human. I also thought they'd love to _see_ a dragon. They were all suitably impressed. Well, except Edward. He was upset with me for endangering myself. Whatever. It obviously worked out just fine.

I also showed them our "Fireworks" performance that we did for our introduction to Hogwarts. They loved that as well. "Wow Bella! Magic is so cool and you're one bad ass witch!"

"Thanks Emmett," I responded shyly.

"Guys, I've been thinking that I want to spend our last week in Forks. I don't know when I'll get to see everyone again." I was really going to miss the wolf pack and Charlie. Renee and Phil, too, of course. I'd just gotten used to not seeing them as much.

My story had been all over the papers, so Charlie was aware that a lot had happened in my life. Everyone was buzzing about how Isabella Black has been alive all along. There were many speculations on how I'd survived, none of them accurate. They also had pictures of me growing up at Salem and competing in the tournament splashed all over the pages. News of my dad's innocence had also made the papers. No one but Dad and Harry had been able to hear me say that I'd been bitten by a vampire. Everyone just thought I was hurt in the tournament. Unfortunately, Voldemort would know about everything. At least he won't want to marry me anymore, now that I'm nothing more than a filthy half-breed to him.

Carlisle had called Sam to fill him in on what the papers didn't report. He asked Sam to let Charlie know what was going on with me. Carlisle informed them that they probably wouldn't be able to see me for awhile. I'm so glad I skipped over that whole crazed newborn phase.

"That's a wonderful idea, Bella. The wolves are anxious to see you. They've been really worried."

The Cullens have belongings that stay at each of their residences, so they had everything they'd need already in Forks. They were planning on buying new belongings in London to keep at my Dad's. Something about adapting to the style of their location. Right. Alice and Rose just wanted an excuse to shop.

The Denali clan had already packed up most of what they'd need in London, so it didn't take them long to complete the process. I shrunk their belongings and they stored them in their pockets. I then grabbed a pillow off their couch and turned it into a portkey. The thirteen of us crowded around the pillow and within seconds it was glowing blue and we were being whisked off to Forks.

None of the vampires fell, but they looked a little unsteady. I giggled. It's funny to see a vampire unsure on their feet. We made our way into the house to find it empty. Well, that's a bummer.

We decided to run over to the Cullens and grab their cars. We then drove past the police station to see if Charlie was there. He wasn't. He must either be at the Rez or out fishing. My guess was the Rez. I didn't think he'd be out fishing so soon after his daughter was assaulted by a vampire and turned into one herself.

So we made our way to La Push. There were no cars outside Jake's house, so we drove over to Sam's. Sure enough, the police cruiser was there. We hadn't even gotten out of the car before the wolf pack was emerging from the house. I stepped out of the Volvo, and they didn't even hesitate. They ran up to me and swallowed me in hugs.

Wow. They really smell. Good thing I'm partial to pups. "Bella! How are you here? Carlisle said you'd be some crazed out-of-control blood demon for at least a year!"

Wow, thanks Jake. "I doubt he used those exact words," I admonished.

Everyone just laughed and shook their heads. "No, he may have used a bit more tact."

I smiled at my friend and looked toward the door as Charlie emerged. I approached him slowly. Everyone was watching me on high alert. Honestly, people. I didn't lose control before the potion; I'm certainly not going to do it now.

I finally made it directly in front of Charlie, and he let out a breath he'd been holding. "Wow, Bells. I didn't think you could get more beautiful than when you were human, but vampirism really suits you."

I laughed out loud and gave him a gentle hug. Trust Charlie to come out with something completely unexpected.

The pack was looking at me, Edward, Jasper and Eleazar curiously. Sam asked the question his whole pack was thinking. "What happened to your eyes? Bella, yours didn't even change and Edward, Jasper and Eleazar's are no longer golden."

I smiled and explained to them about the potion. They were all excited for us, and congratulated me on figuring out how to make it permanent. I looked down shyly. "Thanks guys."

They ushered us into Sam's house and I noticed Emily for the first time. I gasped. "Emily! Merlin! How?"

I was directly in front of her staring at her scar less face in awe. Both she and Sam were beaming. "Madame Pomfry approached me at the Yule Ball. She gave me some cream and said that if I apply it every day for a week, the scars should disappear. It worked!"

I gave her a big, but gentle hug. "That's so awesome Emily! I knew there are creams and potions that can help prevent scaring, but I didn't know of anything that could actually remove a scar. I'm so happy for you!" I really was. It was very painful for Sam to look at Emily's face every day, reminding him of when he lost control.

"Thanks Bella!" Emily was transcendent. "Madame Pomfry said that it was a new treatment created by a Severus Snape. She wasn't sure if it would work, so we didn't tell anyone. Now we're just letting people see for themselves."

I smiled and turned to see Jake with his arm around Sarah. She was looking at all the vampires with wide eyes. When she realized she'd been caught staring she smiled at me sheepishly. "I can't believe we went to school with five vampires! Did you know the whole time, Bella?"

Everyone turned to look at me, interested in my response. I laughed. I had had so much fun messing with Edward. "Yes, I knew from the moment they walked into the cafeteria on my first day. I even knew who they were before Jessica filled me in, thanks to Eleazar. I remember her being all up in arms that you were dating each other. She said, "I mean, they live together. It's weird." I remember thinking, 'Yeah, they also suck blood together. What's your point?'"

Everyone laughed, and I continued my tale. "Then she started talking about how Edward never dated, and that he thought all the girls in Forks weren't good enough for him." Edward was behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist in the blink of an eye.

"No one was good enough until you showed up, Bella."

I scoffed. "You're a bit biased, Edward." I pecked his lips before continuing. "I remember wondering when you'd turned her down."

He laughed a deep belly laugh at that. Ah, that is the best sound in the world. "Very soon after our arrival. Her thoughts were very disturbing for a while."

I shuddered. "I can imagine."

I continued telling them about how I would have fun messing with Edward, especially when he saved me from the van. "I remember thinking that you'd saved me so much paperwork! I was dreading telling the aurors I'd performed magic in front of a school full of muggles and vampires!"

Everyone was laughing exuberantly at how I'd purposefully poked Edward about his vampire abilities. He was shaking his head while smiling at me adoringly. "I never saved you from anything, did I? You didn't need me to stop the van, or those muggle thugs."

I smiled at him lovingly. "It's the intent that matters, Edward. You didn't know that I could take care of myself, and you risked yourself to save me." I turned around and slinked my arms around his neck, batting my eyes flirtatiously. "My hero."

He laughed and kissed my nose. "You're so full of it." I snickered.

Charlie wasn't laughing, though. "What muggle thugs, Bella?"

Shit. "Erm…Uh, do you remember when Sarah, Angela and I went to Port Angeles before the dance last year?"

He nodded and I noticed Jacob tightening his arm around Sarah, trepidation rolling off him in waves. "Well, I left the girls at the clothing store while they were trying on dresses. I wanted to visit the book store." Charlie interrupted grumbling about how he raised me to be smarter than that.

"Come on, Charlie. I'm a witch. I can handle myself. It's exactly what I was going to do when the thugs boxed me in."

He interrupted again, totally in cop mode. "How many were there, Bella?"

"Four." He was about to interrupt again so I continued on quickly. "I had bought a book at the store, and transfigured it into a taser. I hid my wand inside and was going to use it to electrocute them with magic. I totally had it covered when Edward showed up to rescue me."

Everyone looked upset, especially Charlie and Sarah. Honestly, can't they see I'm fine? Sarah approached me and hugged me as tightly as she could. "I'm so sorry, Bella! We should have gone with you or something."

"Oh, nonsense, you are all being ridiculous. The reason we were in PA was to get your dresses. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine. I should have just stayed with you. I was never really in danger, though. I can take on four muggles without breaking a sweat."

Everyone but Charlie seemed at least a bit placated. "Bella, you should have at least told me what happened. What if they attack again, but the girl isn't able to protect herself with magic? I could have alerted the PAPD."

Damn. I didn't even think about that. I focused my eyes on the ground guiltily. Luckily, Edward _had_ thought of it. "Don't worry, Chief. I led Carlisle back to the area where the men were lurking. The only really dangerous one was the leader. I could see in his mind the faces of women he'd raped and killed before. The others thought they were just having a little fun messing with Bella. As much as it angers me that they were even doing that, they had no intentions of harming her."

Growls had broken out amongst the wolves and vampires during Edward's explanation, and Charlie was clearly livid. I could sense that the vampires' emotions when beyond anger that someone attacked me. I couldn't quite place the emotion as it was very similar to anger, but it felt a bit like indignation. I peeked into their thoughts and realized that they were pissed that a human would treat another human with such disregard. Without the potion, they had to fight _so hard_ to retain their humanity. To preserve human life. It went against all their instincts. To hear of a _human _acting so inhumane really bothered them. I could totally understand that.

After the room quieted Edward continued. "Anyways, Carlisle was able to locate the man at a bar. He waited until the man left and sedated him. He dropped him off, unconscious, in front of a police station in Portland. He was a known serial rapist and murderer, and had warrants out for his arrest in Texas and Oklahoma. I kept track of his case. He ended up standing trial in Houston, where he was found guilty and sentenced to death. He's still in the appeals process, but I don't see him living much longer."

I stared at Edward, shocked. I had no idea he'd done all of that. I hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear so softly not even the other vampires would pick up my words. "Edward. How can you doubt what an amazing man you are? How many innocent girls do you think you saved by getting that scum off the streets? I so so proud of you, Edward. I'm so honored to be your mate. I love you."

He held me to him tightly and buried his face in the crook of my neck. "Thank you, Bella. You make me feel like maybe I _am_ someone worthy of your love."

I ran my hand comfortingly through his hair. My sweet vulnerable vampire. "Of course you are, Edward. I'm the lucky one in our relationship."

He pulled back and scoffed. "You're absurd, Bella."

I smiled lovingly at him and pecked his lips. When I turned around I remembered that we weren't in this room alone. There were in fact 21 others surrounding us, watching our display. "Please tell me you guys aren't going to be acting all nauseatingly sappy for the rest of eternity. I'm not sure I can handle that."

I laughed. "Too bad, brother bear. You're stuck with us. And yes, I plan on being a sappy lovesick fool for all eternity."

Emmett scowled in mock annoyance before grabbing me from Edward and swinging me around in circles. "You're going to make things so interesting, sis!" What can I say, I try.

When everyone calmed down Charlie asked me to expand upon what the paper reported on the third task. Carlisle had just informed that I'd been bitten. I explained how Voldemort returned to power and all of the horror that came along with it. I told them that we were going to be going back to London in a week to help with the fight against the evil despot, and that we wanted to spend the remaining time with them.

No one was too thrilled that the thirteen of us were going to be putting ourselves in harm's way, but they understood why I had to go. They were grateful that the others were willing to go with me, and made me promise to owl them if there was anything the pack could do to help.

Jake brought us all out of our morose thoughts. "Hey! We should do something fun before you go back. Why don't we take a trip to NYC? Pack members can alternate staying behind to protect the reservation! We can show everyone the wizarding town and explore muggle New York. It will be awesome!"

Everyone agreed readily, but I was a bit uneasy. Thirteen vampires, six shape shifting wolves and four muggles weren't exactly going to be inconspicuous, even in my world. I didn't want to do anything that would draw Voldemort's attention across the pond.

"What is it, Bella?" Jasper could feel my trepidation.

I explained my worries but they all seemed undeterred. "Come on, Bella! It will be fine! Besides, we can totally take that snake faced bastard!" Emmett was always too cocky. He needs to understand that this is a serious situation.

"Emmett, this isn't a joke. Voldemort has killed thousands of people. He kills his own followers, for Merlin's sake! He would not hesitate to kill anyone in this room. Do you really feel comfortable doing something that could draw his focus to Forks? I'm big news right now. If I'm spotted it _will_ be in the paper."

They all looked thoughtful, and I could tell that the wolves were most certainly _not_ comfortable drawing Voldemort's attention to their little piece of the Pacific Northwest.

Charlie, of all people, seemed to come up with a solution. "What about glamour, Bella? You can glamour everyone in our group, that way no one will know it's us. I'll tell the guys at the station that I'm spending the week with my daughter before she goes off to London for college. We can spend the whole week together."

Charlie really wants to go. I'm just not sure. "I'm not sure I could hold glamour over so many people at once."

Emmett looked excited. "Even with your magic all vamped up?"

I considered that, and started musing out loud. "Good point. It would have been doable but difficult as a human witch. It may be easier as a vampire witch. My brain now has the capacity to concentrate on many things at once. The glamour may even be able to self sustain for a while. It should be able to keep the vamps from going all sparkly in the sun, too."

I set Alice's glamour first and asked her to go find someplace sunny to test it out. I also wanted to make sure that it could hold up without me being close. She took off and I continued on to everyone else. I had a lot of fun with it. I made Emmett super scrawny and gave Jake a giant beer gut. I made Quil and Embry twins and turned Paul into a girl. He demanded I change him back. I conceded through a fit of giggles. Everyone looked different, but the most drastic change was seen in the vampires. None of the others had appeared human in decades at the earliest, and seven centuries in Eleazar's case.

Alice came barging back into the house beaming. "It works! It works! No sparkles to be seen!" The vampires looked at me like I'd just given them an amazing gift. It made me…uncomfortable. I had to agree that it would be awfully convenient if the charm was able to hold up over long periods of time, though. We could live anywhere if we didn't have to worry about the sun.

With Victoria dead, there wasn't a direct threat to the reservation. Sam decided that two wolves would stay behind in shifts. If there was a threat one of the wolves would phase and call the rest of them back. I'd given them a two way mirror, so they wouldn't have to worry about magical interference with their cell phones. With a portkey I could have the rest of the group in La Push in an instant.

Sam and Paul volunteered to stay behind first, and the rest of us made our way to Charlie's to use his fireplace. We'd decided to stay in a muggle hotel, as it would draw a lot of attention to rent so many rooms at Toils for your Troubles. Before we left I transfigured everyone's clothes into wizard's robes. I'd rather stand out in the muggle world than the magical one.

I went first to demonstrate and to monitor the others' arrivals. Charlie and Jake agreed to go last and monitor the departures. The vampires and wolves were able to gracefully exit the fireplace. Charlie even made it out alright, but Kim, Sarah and Emily struggled a bit. We helped them up and tried to look as inconspicuous as a group of our size could.

I led everyone to the back of the bar, nodding politely to the owner of the establishment. He eyed us curiously but kept mum. As we stepped out into the shopping district, I kept a close eye on all the newbies. Their reactions didn't disappoint. They were completely awestruck, and grins immediately lit up their faces.

Edward pulled me to him and peppered kisses all over my face. "This place is amazing, Bella. Thank you for brining magic into our lives. Literally and figuratively."

I returned his smile and started leading our group around the town. Our first stop was Gringotts. Carlisle wanted to open an account and have some of their fortune converted to wizard money. The process of opening an account was fascinating. The amount of money Carlisle brought with him earned him a vault deep in the depths of the underground. I hadn't realized one of the packages he had me shrink before we left Alaska was a crate full of cash.

The awesome thing about Gringotts was that you could visit your vault from any branch. There was a door in every Gringotts branch that opened to the same underground vaults. I asked our goblin if we could visit the Black Family vault after we dropped of Carlisle's new gold. He eyed me suspiciously and I produced my key. "Sorry, I've no blood to offer you."

"Very well," was his only response. Goblins are such assholes. At least I know I can trust them to keep my visit confidential.

The pile of gold left in Carlisle's vault was mammoth, even after he took a ton with him. I have no idea what he was thinking of buying. The amount of gold in the weightless pouch provided by Gringotts was enough to buy a fully furnished magical manor, and that wasn't even a tenth of the amount of gold he'd stocked in their family vault.

Our group scrambled back into our carts and continued even deeper underground. Sweet Circe, how far down is the Black vault? Is it in the Earth's core, or what? We finally came to a halt. It was very dark and dank, and for the love of _Merlin_ is that a dragon? The others looked excitedly at the dragon that had roused at our arrival. The goblin started making loud clanking noises causing the dragon to recoil.

I was…angry. The poor thing had obviously been stuck down here for many years. His eyes were all milky; he was clearly blind. The Pavlonian response displayed by the dragon told me that they'd obviously beat the poor thing while making that clanking noise many times before. The poor creature. It was enslaved in this depressing underground cavern in order to protect the material possessions of a bunch of wizards.

I turned away from the poor thing, pained. "What is it, Bella? Jasper can feel that you're saddened and angry." I could hear the concern in Edward's voice.

"It's the dragon. I don't like that it is enslaved down here just to protect a bunch of meaningless stuff. It is obviously mistreated."

The others realized the truth of my statement, and their excitement dampened. There wasn't much we could do about it, though. I couldn't very well shrink the thing down and escape with him in my pocket.

I was distracted from my thoughts by the goblin. "Key, please."

I handed him my key and he proceeded to open the vault of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. This should definitely be interesting. I made sure they all knew Regulus' warning. "Make sure you don't touch anything. There's probably a lot of cursed items in there. We'll need to get a curse breaker in here before we really start sifting through this stuff. I just wanted to take a peek."

Everyone nodded their heads in understanding. When the door was finally open a collective gasp could be heard echoing around the cavern. Holy. Shit.

This place was at _least_ the size of a football field. There was gold, silver and bronze _everywhere_. I had no idea Sirius and I were so loaded. I mean, I knew we were rich, but damn. As I walked through the room I saw endless treasures. There was jewelry, books, artifacts, chests containing Merlin knows what, weapons and much much more. It was overwhelming.

After making our way back out of the vault I turned to the group clutching my pouch. "Well then, I guess I don't need to be too worried that I didn't get to sit for my NEWTs."

Everyone laughed nervously. "You sure do know how to make a massive understatement, Bella." Jake has always been so blunt. I smiled at his statement.

"Well, I officially decree that no one can complain if I try to buy them something."

Everyone seemed to smile at that. "Agreed."

We all clambered back into our carts and the goblin returned my key. When we finally made our way out of the bank I took a giant breath of fresh air. The other supernatural creatures did the same thing. The air down in the vault area was seriously unpleasant.

Our next stop was the quidditch shop. The vampire men were stoked to learn more about the sport. Carlisle ended up buying all the vampires a Firebolt, and I did the same for the wolves. The wolves' imprints said they'd only ride with their significant others, so they didn't need one. Charlie claimed he was too old. The shopkeeper was ecstatic. He'd probably earned a year's revenue with the amount broomsticks and other quidditch supplies bought by Carlisle and myself.

We made our way to the bookstore next. There was also a lot of money spent at this store. I told the wolves to get whatever they wanted, but they aren't really readers. The vampires, however, went a bit crazy. Carlisle wanted to buy every book that even mentioned vampires, but I insisted he could share mine. I had them all, and we were family. Plus I thought our group might draw even more attention to ourselves if we walked out of here with a library on vampires. He agreed and moved onto the books on healing.

Jasper was enthralled with the history books. He bought a fare few. Rosalie, Alice, and Tanya were entrenched in the fashion and charms section. They couldn't perform the magic, but they knew I could do it for them. Kate, Irina and Eleazar were browsing the section on magical creatures and herbology. Emmett, Charlie and the all the wolves had disappeared into the sports section and I was afraid they'd never be heard from again. Kim, Emily and Sarah were going through the books on muggles, laughing their asses off. I smirked at their humor. Wizards could be really clueless sometimes. Esme and Carmen had found a section on magical architecture and interior design. They were definitely going to be spending a good bit of gold.

Where the hell did Edward go? I continued walking around the store, trying to find the man I love. I finally found him in the Potions section. He glanced up and smiled when he saw me, quickly returning his attention to the book.

I approached him from behind and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my face between his shoulder blades. "Potions, huh?" I mumbled into his shirt.

I could hear the grin in his voice. "Yeah, it's interesting. It's also something I could do, you know, since I can't perform magic."

I nodded my head against his back. "You should also get some books on Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. You could make a lot of advancements in those fields as well."

He hummed his agreement and continued reading. He picked out a few Potions tombs and made his way to the Arithmancy and Ancient Runes sections with me still attached to his back.

After everyone made their purchases, we left for the pet store. Now, most animals shy away from vampires instinctively, even magical ones. I was very grateful that Caelen didn't seem to mind that I was no longer human. He didn't shy away from me at all. But he's a special case. Or at least, that's what I thought before we walked into the pet shop. It turns out that there are a few more animals willing to become a vampire's familiar.

The only vampires that entered the store were me, Edward, Alice, Esme and Carlisle. The rest weren't interested in looking at the animals. We followed Alice to the cat section. She wanted one so badly, but I wasn't very optimistic. Imagine my surprise when two cats approached our group rather than immediately cowering away with the rest.

The cutest little ragdoll kitten you've ever seen in your whole life walked determinately to Alice. Alice slowly reached her hand to the kitten and picked her up gently, bringing the little thing up to her chest. The kitten purred contentedly and burrowed her little face into Alice's neck. The absolute elation that I felt from Alice made me feel giddy. I wish Jasper had come in with us. He would have loved to feel this emotion coming from his wife. She was smiling happily while stroking her new friend. "I'm going to name her Callie!" Callie purred in contentment at her new name.

I smiled at her and turned my attention back to the other cat. She was staring at Esme who seemed buoyed by Callie's reaction to Alice. Esme bent down and picked up the little leopard. She was young, but magically bred to stay small. Esme lifted the cat to her face the leopard nuzzled her nose into Esme's cheek. I now felt Esme's elation at finding the bond of a familiar and sent the feeling to Carlisle. He smiled at me, silently thanking me for allowing him to share in his wife's happiness. "What do you think of Nani, little one?" She opened her jaws wide letting out a fierce little triumphant roar. It was more like a croak, really. It was absolutely adorable. We all chuckled while Esme cuddled with her new familiar. "Nani it is."

Carlisle was interested in the owls so we made our way to their section, where he had a similar experience to Alice and Esme. A beautiful snowy owl with bright blue eyes flew to Carlisle and landed softly on his shoulder. He nipped Carlisle's ear gently, as to not break his own beak. Everyone chuckled while Carlisle stared wonderingly at the animal that so readily landed on the shoulder of a vampire. He stroked the beautiful bird's chest and asked him he wanted to join our family. The bird hooted happily. "How about Galen for you?" The owl gave another hoot, which we assumed meant he was happy with Carlisle's suggestion.

We were gathering supplies for the three new Cullens when we had the biggest surprise of all. Suddenly a beautiful phoenix came out of nowhere and landed on Edward's shoulder. We all looked to the beautifully majestic bird in awe. He was all white except about five inches at the tips of his wings. They started out blue and changed into a fiery orange toward the wingtips. Just like a flame. He was absolutely breath-taking. The emotions coming from Edward were all over the place. He was shocked beyond speech, but also very honored and excited that this rare bird seemed to have chosen him. He stroked the bird's head, and it started trilling a beautiful phoenix song that filled us all with contentment.

"Do you want to join our family?" The bird rubbed his face on Edward's cheek giving a clear affirmative. Edward's smile lit up his face. "How do you feel about Aden, then? It means fire."

Aden trilled again, and we all knew he was content with his new name. The store owner was both thrilled and astonished. This bird was going to be expensive, so she was going to make a nice sale. "I can't believe he came to you like that. He usually refuses to even see customers."

Edward's smile grew even wider. I lifted my hand to Aden and he leaned into it, allowing me to stroke his beautiful feathers. "He was just meant for Edward. What's the point of letting anyone else see him?"

We finished picking out everything we'd need to care for our new family members and made our way back out into the street. The others were waiting for us in varying states of impatience. They seemed ready to air their grievances when they took sight of the new Cullens. Aden seemed to draw the most attention. Edward, Carlisle, Esme and Alice introduced their new familiars to the others, and the animals were soon being cooed over by the rest of our party.

Caelen, being the intelligent owl that he is, landed on my shoulder while the others were engrossed in the new animals. "You knew I needed you, didn't you boy?" He hooted a response and nuzzled his face into my cheek. I stroked his chest and cuddled him back. "Such a smart boy."

I cleared my throat to gather our group's attention. "Caelen, this is Callie, Nani, Galen and Aden." Caelen nodded his head and hooted in greeting. The others made similar actions. I smiled. I think everyone will get along just fine.

"Now, I can glamour Nani to appear like a regular muggle cat, but Aden and Galen will not be able to stay in the muggle hotel with us." I turned my attention to Caelen. "Would you mind guiding them to the Forks house and helping them get situated?"

Caelen gave an affirmative hoot and affectionately nipped my ear. He then flew away with Galen and Aden following behind.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the various shops. Emmett, the wolves and I went crazy in the joke shop. We all also enjoyed to sweets shop. All the vampires loved the blood pops. They liked that they could do something as normal as suck on a lollypop. The girls spent most of their remaining time in the clothing stores.

When the wolves were ready to get some sleep we made our way back to Toils for your Troubles. Jared and Quil flooed back to Charlie's and the rest of us waited for Sam and Paul to show up. Once they emerged from the fireplace our group left the wizard hotel and made our way into Times Square. Alice and I had already seen the hotel we'd be staying in, so we knew exactly where to go.

The wolves and humans grabbed some hotdogs from a street vendor on the way. They were just about dead on their feet by the time we checked into the hotel. The vampires decided to head out to a club and get our dance on while the sleepers got their beauty rest.

While we were walking to the club Edward made a suggestion for the next day. "Why don't you ladies go shopping in muggle New York tomorrow? I know that you all want to spend a fare few hours in the clothing boutiques. The men can take Sam and Paul on their tour of the wizarding community. I know I wouldn't mind a second run through."

I didn't have to peek into Edward's mind to know what he was thinking. He had eyed the jewelry store every time we passed it feeling excited before looking to Charlie and becoming anxious. Now I wasn't too thrilled about spending the day clothes shopping, with Alice no less, but I wasn't going to deny Edward his time alone with Charlie and to look for rings. Edward was going to propose. I just know it. His last step after his day with Charlie would be to talk to Sirius.

I smiled at him and agreed to suffer through the torture of shopping with Alice. Said vampire squealed in delight, much to my horror. It was going to be a long day. It would be worth it, though.

The line outside Kiss & Fly was staggering. It is one of the hottest night clubs in NYC, but Alice and I had seen our group walking right in. Vampire looks can definitely come in handy. The place was completely packed. The music was loud, and I could feel the vibrations on my skin. The crowd was having a lot of fun. The excitement and lust permeating throughout the main room was a bit distracting. I looked to Edward and noticed him wince. The internal voices must be difficult to block out in a place like this.

I eyed him speculatively and wondered if I could extend my shield over him. I planned to teach him Occlumency after we settle in at Grimmauld, but perhaps I would be able to help him out tonight. I concentrated on creating a wall around Edward's mind blocking out the voices. I knew the moment it worked as his head whipped down to me. I lifted my face to his and asked in his ear, "Do you want me to shield you tonight?"

I could feel his relief and gratitude as he nodded his head affirmatively. "Thank you, baby. This place is loud enough without all the mental voices." He was looking at me like he could hardly believe I was real, let alone that I was his. Well, get used to it, Edward.

He leaned down and kissed me soundly before leading me out into the dance floor. The other vampires had already made their way down. Kate, Tanya and Irina already had human partners. I had placed a warming and cushioning charm around everyone so that we wouldn't seem so hard and cold when people inevitably bumped into us. It freed the sisters up to dance with the humans.

Edward spun me around so my back was to his chest. He molded himself around and let his hands guide my hips as we danced to the music. I started to get lost in him when I noticed Alice and Jasper dancing a few feet away. Jasper looked so blissfully content. He noticed that my attention was on him and he smiled, raising his eyebrow. I cocked my head to the side and entered his thoughts.

_Thank you, Bella. I never would have been able to handle a place like this before taking the potion. You've made my wife one happy vampire. I can never thank you enough._

I grinned back at him and turned my attention back to _my_ happy vampire. We spent the rest of the night getting lost in each other. No one else in the world existed.

Around three a.m. we were brought out of our secluded little bubble by Carlisle informing us we were leaving. The club would still be open for another hour or so, but Carlisle thought it would be best to leave while it was still a bit crowded.

We made our way back to the hotel where all the couples split off into their own rooms. Edward and I laid together, lost in each other's presence. It was so calming just to be held by him. Our reverie was interrupted the next morning when the wolves were up and ready to do some more exploring.

The pack agreed with Edward's idea to split based on gender for the day, so Kim, Emily and Sarah joined the female vampires on our way to NYC's fashion district. All the girls, except Kate and I, spent the day trying on every garment in New York. I was surprised but pleased that Sarah had lost her hesitancy to allow me to spend money on her. I guess seeing the massive vault at my disposal eased her mind a bit.

Kate wasn't really a shopper either, so we just told Alice to get us whatever she wanted. I knew we'd probably regret it later, but it saved us the torture today. We spent the day chatting, and I was surprised at how easily we got along. She was intelligent and funny, and had a million questions about all the different magical creatures. She was especially interested in hippogriffs. I told her my dad has one at Grimmauld that she could meet. She was ecstatic at that.

She told me that she and her sisters had been turned about a thousand years ago. I was completely shocked. My mind can't really fathom living that long. I asked her about the most fascinating things she'd witnessed, and she regaled me with her life's adventures.

"You know, I have to thank you. After living for a thousand years it's very difficult to bring anything new into my life. I thought I'd seen everything, but you proven me wrong. The world you come from is truly amazing, Bella. It opens up so many opportunities for us. You've truly given us all a precious gift. Thank you for bringing us into your family."

Her emotions were causing me to choke up a bit. She was so sincere. So grateful to have been included. I smiled back at her, emotion clear in my face. "I'm honored that you feel like I am a part of your family, Kate. Truly."

We shared a hug and she continued telling me about what I'd missed over the last millennium.

When the rest of the girls were satisfied with their purchases, Alice pulled out her black American Express. Of course she has one of those. She smirked at me and asked the sales clerk to have the clothes delivered to our hotel. I would then be able to shrink them down to a manageable size for the return trip.

The boys were already back at the hotel when we arrived. Embry had switched out with Jared, and the imprinted wolves were taking their mates out to a nice dinner and night on the town. Alice, Rosalie and Tanya made quick work of readying the girls. They looked absolutely fantastic. The look on the men's faces gave the three girls an added confidence boost as they met up in the lobby. Alice and I saw that they would all have a magical night, even in the muggle world.

That just left Charlie and Paul with the thirteen vampires. They had a quick dinner at the hotel, before we all made our way back out into the city. We'd decided to head over to the Comedy Cellar. With Voldemort back we could all use a night of laughs. The comics did not disappoint and the fifteen of us left the club feeling relaxed from our night of fun.

Our group spent the next three days together. We did your average touristy things, exploring all the sights New York had to offer. We saw a couple of shows on Broadway and ran around FAO Schwartz like a bunch of overgrown kids. We stood outside the Today show and held up ridiculous signs. We took a ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and took in the city from atop the Empire State Building. We took pictures with our glamoured selves interacting with all the celebrities at Madame Tussaud's wax museum. We spent a night of fun on Coney Island and a day exploring Rockefeller Center. We even went to a Yankees game.

By the end of the week the wolves and humans were exhausted. We'd spent a lot of time running around the city, and we all had a blast. We returned to Forks for our last two days before heading off to London. We wanted to spend the time quietly enjoying our Forks family before heading off on our upcoming adventure.

The pack threw us a goodbye barbecue the night before we left. It was kind of funny considering that none of us actually ate. It made me wonder if I could create a potion to give us our human taste buds back. We'd never be able to digest the food, but I wouldn't mind a little upchucking if I was able to enjoy chocolate, baked ziti and hibachi style fried rice again. It's not like there'd be any stomach acid to mix with the food in our stomachs anyway. It wouldn't be so bad.

It would also make the blending in a bit easier. I could set our glamour daily to make us appear like we did as humans. We could actually make friends and go out without drawing attention to ourselves. I could even gradually age our glamour so that we could stay in the same place for longer periods of time. Hmmm…there are definitely some possibilities there. I'll have to look into it later.

We said our goodbyes at the party, as we were leaving early the next morning. It was definitely bittersweet, but we managed to have a good time with our extended family. Before leaving them for an undeterminable about of time I placed powerful protective wards over all their houses. They should not only be protected from vampires, but from wizards as well. If a wizard happened to make it past the wards, everyone would be alerted immediately. Even me. I'd then be able to apparate to them and make sure that no one harmed my family.

That night all the vampires went hunting. I was a bit nervous to see how the four of us who drank the potion would fare. I was afraid hunting might break through the effects of the potion and bring back the bloodlust.

It turns out my worries were unfounded. My instincts never overtook my mind. I knew where the prey was and I hunted it without feeling any sort of frenzy. I could have stopped at any point. Jasper, Edward and Eleazar had the same experience and they all beamed at me, excited to be free from their inner demons.

The next morning found the thirteen of us standing in front of the Cullen's fireplace, which we had connected to the floo network. We sent the birds ahead, asking them to meet us at Grimmauld Place. Esme and Alice secured Nani and Callie for their upcoming travel, and everyone had their shrunken belongings safely tucked away in their pockets. This was it. I was taking my vampire family to meet my magical one. I really hope my Dad doesn't give Edward _too_ hard a time.

I took a deep unneeded breath and stepped into the fireplace with my fist full of floo powder. I smiled at my family before dropping the powder into the fire. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place."

**A/N:**

**First off, my many thanks to my reviewers!**

**I'm going to give a special shout out to lunarwing for reviewing every chapter! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much that means to me. :)**

**Of course I love all my reviewers, so big thanks go out to you all! I know there's a few of you who have been reviewing since I started. You all keep me motivated. :)**

**lunarwing, Lara, Nessa 671, BeautifulMidnighter, RiTuXa, ., People-Are-Crazy, aggy73, Kmilita, Brie'sImaginationRunAmuck, Silver Moonlight-81, lucia, CherryBlossoms016, Amerilia Lily Lotus, Dreamsb223, XxHelixRiderxX, bloody alana, Bookworm50210, Termia, DreamerHorse, Manaliac, vivx-chan, and Angel JJK!**

**You guys blew me away last chapter!**

**Okay, so this chapter was a bit difficult to write. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with them for the two weeks it took the Skirts to brew the potion. I decided on a bit of fun. I hope you all enjoyed it! I posted links to pictures of Callie, Nani and Galen on my profile. You'll have to use your imagination on Aden. Giving these animals names was probably the most difficult part. I'm so horrible at naming things.**

**Anywho, I'll see you all at Grimmauld!**


	17. Chapter 17

_Previously:_

_I took a deep unneeded breath and stepped into the fireplace with my fist full of floo powder. I smiled at my family before dropping the powder into the fire. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place."_

Chapter Seventeen:

I stepped out of the fireplace in the kitchen to find Dad, Remy and The Skirts playing cards. Dad smiled and started toward me when he saw who'd arrived. I quickly made my way to him before Edward came shooting out of the floo. The process continued 11 more times. I chuckled. It reminded me of one of those clown cars you see at the circus. The thing looks small, but then a dozen clowns end up pouring out.

Once everyone was out I waved my hand with a _Scourgify_. The spell cleaned everyone up, ridding our clothes and faces from the soot of floo travel. My family's reaction was a bit comical. Thirteen vampires in one room is quite a sight.

I grabbed my dad's hand and led him over to Edward. "Daddy, this is my boyfriend, Edward. Please be nice. Edward, this is my dad, Sirius Black."

Edward held out his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Bella has told me so much about you."

Daddy eyed his hand disdainfully. "Did she now? You know, she didn't really tell me much about you. The Skirts did, though. They told me all about how you abandoned my little girl. Told her she wasn't good enough for you. Told her you were only pretending to love her. Tell me, Edward, are you pretending now? Are you really pleased to meet me, or are you going to come back in a few months and tell me it was all just a lie?"

Oh man. The look on Edward's face is priceless. My dad is totally messing with him. I can feel the mirth oozing out of him. He's really enjoying this. I looked to Jasper and we made eye contact. His lips twitched, but he was otherwise stoic. Edward still looks like he's going to shit himself. How is Jasper blocking the fact that Daddy is just screwing with him? I entered his thoughts and heard him reciting Civil War facts. Sneaky vampire.

Edward started mumbling unintelligibly. "I, well…um, you know. I mean what I am saying _now_, sir. I just…tried… you know…to do what was right for her. Bella, I mean. You know, I was trying to do what was right by Bella. I, uh…well, I made mistakes, but it was then that I was lying. When I said those things. That was the lie. Not now."

I was really having a difficult time not breaking down into a fit of giggles. I won't be able to hold out much longer. I know Daddy will be upset if I spoil his fun, though. I figure this moment will make it up to Jake that I didn't make Edward beg for forgiveness.

My dad started stuttering, mimicking the difficulties Edward was having forming complete sentences. "Really, well, uh…what is the, you know…the truth then?"

Edward's emotion changed instantly. He went from unsure and a bit terrified to confident and self assured in an instant. "I love your daughter, sir. More than anything in this whole world. I would do anything for her. I'd die for her. I only left because I thought I was endangering her life. I was willing to rip my own heart out so that she could live a full and happy life. Leaving her was the hardest thing I've ever done, sir." He turned his attention away from my dad and looked down into my eyes. "I now see that it was a mistake. I _never_ thought this perfect creature could love me with the same all encompassing intensity that I love her. I thought I was only sentencing myself to eternal darkness. I never would have left if I knew I was condemning her to the same fate. I'm sorry, Bella. So so sorry."

My chin started to tremble as I took in his words. The intensity in his eyes nearly brought me to my knees, and I could feel the venom building up in my eyes. I would be swimming in tears right now if I were still human. I did the only other thing I could do in that moment. I launched myself at him. My legs wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck while my face burrowed into the crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around my middle and squeezed my tightly. "Oh Edward! I love you so so much."

We stayed that way for a minute or two, just holding each other, before my dad cleared his throat. "Alright, alright. I was just messing with you anyways. You can put my daughter down now."

I let out a shaky laugh and dropped my feet to the ground. When I lifted my gaze to meet Edward's he narrowed his eyes playfully. "You knew he was just having fun with me, didn't you?"

I teasingly impersonated his stuttering. "Erm…well, you know…maybe?"

Everyone laughed, but Emmett's booming chuckles could be heard over everyone. "Your dad is awesome, Bells!"

I shook my head and turned my attention back to the others. "Alrighty, introductions. Humans, this is Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and her familiar Callie, Jasper, Carlisle, Esme and her familiar Nani, Kate, Irina, Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar." My girls smiled brightly at Eleazar and waved. They've known him as long as I have, but they were never as close. I noticed that Dad was eying Kate funnily. Interesting. "Vampires, this is Sirius, Remus, Nicole, Sammie and Harley." The vampires were clearly nervous. I didn't need to feel their emotions to know they were afraid my family would reject them. I would address it later. I want Harry to meet them first.

"Where is everyone else? I expected to see more people here. Harry in particular. I want to introduce him."

Dad looked upset. "You've hit a bit of a sore spot, Bella. I'm Harry's godfather, and now that I've been cleared of all charges I should be able to take full guardianship over him. But Dumbledore insisted he go back to the Dursley's for the summer. Said because of some blood wards it would be the safest place for him. There's no arguing with him about it. He's the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. I have to listen to him."

"Bullshit. He's the leader of the resistance against Voldemort, not the ruler of all our lives. Do you want Harry here, Daddy?"

"Of course I do." He snapped, offended.

"Well I'm going to go get him, then! I'll be damned if I dragged that rat back with us for nothing. You are free, Daddy. You get to make your own decisions now. Don't let anyone take that from you. Not even Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

I grabbed a mug and allowed a mouthful of venom pool before spitting it in the cup. I handed it to Harley. "Can you add a drop in each dose and give it to the nine who haven't taken it?"

"Of course. But Bella, what about your eyes? They're not red anymore. They're back to your original color. Edward, Jasper and Eleazar's are a human shade, too. Did the potion do that?" I could feel her excitement at the prospect.

I smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's quite a pleasant side effect, don't you think?"

"Yeah. It makes it easier to see my sister inside this new and improved shell."

Urg, she just had to get me all emotional again. I hugged her to me gently. I didn't need to listen to her thoughts to understand what she was doing. She could see that the vampires were afraid they'd be rejected. She was letting them know that she didn't care about their vampirism. The venom just creates a different shell. It doesn't change what's inside. I could feel the vampires relax at her statement. They understood her message, too. "Thanks, Harley."

I pulled away from her and turned back to the group. I cast the glamour over myself so that I wouldn't sparkle if the sun was out. "Nic, you want to come with me?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically. We might have to have words with the Dursley's and I know she's had some things she'd like to say to them.

Edward grabbed my hand on the way to the fireplace. "Bella, do you want me to come with you?"

I smiled weakly at him. "No, Edward. I'm not sure how Harry will respond to an unknown vampire. I want to get him back here with as little fuss as possible. Thank you for offering, though. I love you."

He pecked my lips. "I love you, too baby. Please be careful."

"I will, I promise."

I turned around to find my father standing directly behind me. How the hell did he sneak up on me like that? He hugged me tightly. "I'm so proud of you, Bella. You're absolutely right. I should have demanded that Harry be allowed to stay here. Dumbledore said he had his reasons for sending him back, but that's not good enough. Do you want me to come with you?"

Honestly. This isn't a dangerous mission. What is wrong with these men? "No Daddy. I don't need you sent back to Azkaban for murdering Harry's Aunt and Uncle. They're likely to do something that will make you want to."

He barked a laugh and nodded. "You're probably right, princess."

Nic and I finally made it to the fireplace. I stepped in first, as I didn't know what we'd find on the other side. "Number 4 Privet Drive."

I stepped into the living room of an average cookie cutter type house. I quickly moved out of the way to make room for Nicole. When she stepped out a giant man turning an alarming shade of purple started sputtering at us. "What in the bloody hell are you doing? Get out of my house!"

Nicole was already peeved, but she managed to be cordial. Barely. "Gladly. We'll just go fetch Harry and be on our way."

"The boy is not here. Ruddy menace was lying outside the window in the hydrangea bed while we were trying to watch the news. We caught the little freak and he ran off. Why don't you do the same?"

I grabbed Nic's arm before she could reach for her wand and led her out of the house. "Forget them, Nic. He's never coming back here. Let's just find Harry. I can follow his scent."

Nic disappeared around the house for a second before returning with a bike. "Transfigured it out of one of their precious hydrangea bushes. I figure you can make sure you don't run too fast by keeping my pace."

"Aye Aye, Capt'n!" I gave her a mock salute and we were off. "I forgot how bizarre transcontinental travelling can be. It was just 9:00 am when we left Forks an hour ago. Now it's almost six at night."

"Yeah, it's even darker because it's about to storm. We need to find him quick."

I was now close enough to Harry to smell him instead of his trail. I pointed to a tunnel about two hundred yards away. "I think he's in that tunnel with another human."

We started making our way over when I suddenly felt freezing. A cold dread filled my soul and my mind started reliving all my worst memories.

_Four years old, men attacking my nanny. I tried to help her. Tried to protect her. I failed. They killed her. They took me. "You'll never see your daddy again, little girl." Edward walking away. Never seeing him again, either. "It will be like I never existed." Daddy. Sitting in a cell by himself. His soul tortured by those horrible Dementors._

Wait. Dementors. Shit! I shook my head trying to clear it of the painful thoughts. I turned to Nic to see her drowning in her own sorrows. I reacted instinctively and threw my magic into my Occlumency shield, trying to block out the effect of the Dementors. It worked. I felt at peace again. I expanded the shield to include Nicole. She shook her head and looked to me in horror. "What the hell? Dementors! We have to get to Harry!"

The bike forgotten, Nic transformed into a lion and started running. After a quick scan to make sure no one was watching us, I followed her lead and made it to the tunnel in a few seconds. I arrived just in time to see a Patronus stag chasing the demons away. I quickly changed back and ran to Harry. "Harry! Are you alright?"

"Bella? What were those things doing here?"

I hugged him to me as tightly as I could without hurting him. "Merlin, Harry! I don't know why they were here. I'm just so glad you're okay!"

"What are _you_ doing here?" He looked over to see Nicole levitating a chubby teenager over to our side of the tunnel. "Nicole? What? Why are you guys here?"

"I arrived back to Grimmauld Place an hour ago to find you gone. Dad told me Dumbledore wouldn't let you stay at Grimmauld over the summer. It's bullshit, Harry. Dad has guardianship of you. It's his decision, not Dumbledore's. Dad has been so used to having no choice in his own life, he allowed Dumbledore to have his way. Well not me. You're coming back with us, where you belong."

Harry hugged me fiercely. I could feel his overwhelming gratitude. "Thank you, Bella."

"You don't need to thank me, Harry. We're family. We stick together."

The smile that took over his face was almost blindingly brilliant. He was feeling accepted. Like he'd finally found a true family. The type of family he should have had all along, where you know you have someone on your side no matter what. "You can always count on me and Sirius, Harry. We're your family."

I could feel his emotions overwhelming him, so I decided to divert his attention to the situation at hand. "Alright. I'll take your cousin back to the Dursley's, and Nicole will apparate you back to Grimmauld."

"What if the Dementors come back? Or Voldemort? You shouldn't be on your own."

"I'm just going to apparate him back, Harry. I don't want you to see your Aunt and Uncle again. They're not going to respond well to the state of your cousin, and I won't have you suffering any more of their abuse. I'll pack your things and bring them back with me."

"Are you sure? I could go with you."

Oh for the love of Merlin why does every man in my life think I can't do anything on my own? "Nonsense, go with Nicole. I'll be along shortly."

"But –"

"No buts." I turned to Nic, who nodded. She wrapped an arm around Harry, who still looked ready to argue, and apparated them away.

I turned to the lug of a boy on the ground. He was having a seriously hard time, not that I fault him. He's just been attacked by a Dementor. If he hadn't bullied Harry his whole life I might even feel sorry for him.

"Alright Dudders." Lifting him into my arms, I spun on the spot and we disappeared with a pop. We landed in the living room of Number 4 Privet Drive, at which point all hell proceeded to break loose.

"Dudley! What have you done to him?" Poor Vernon. I'm not sure his heart can take all this excitement.

"Relax. He's fine. He just needs some chocolate. I'm sure you've got some around here." I set Dudley on the couch where Petunia immediately started fussing over the blubbering boy. I then turned around and started making my way to the stairs.

I felt a warm hand unsuccessfully try to spin me around. How cute. The human tried to physically stop the vampire. So precious. I decided to give him my attention anyway. "Yes?"

"Where in the bloody hell do you think you're going? I want answers! What happened to my son?" The man was screaming in my face. Where is his sense of self preservation? He better be glad I'm such a well behaved vampire.

"I'm going up to gather Harry's things. He won't be staying with you anymore. You never have to see him again; you should be happy. As for your precious Dudders, he and Harry were attacked by Dementors. They are dark magical creatures that suck out your soul. Your 'ruddy menace' of a nephew saved his life, not that you would ever thank him. But seriously, you need to give Dudley some chocolate. It's really the only thing that will help him right now. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pack up Harry's things."

"No! I will not just excuse you!" Le sigh. This is _so_ tedious. "You barge into my house, bring back my son in a clearly disturbed state and then expect me to let you have free reign in my home? I want you out of my house! Now!" He pulled a gun out of his cabinet and pointed it at me.

I laughed. Out loud. In his face. He didn't appreciate it. "Mr. Dursley, there's not one thing you can do to stop me, least of all shoot me with that gun. I think you'll find me rather bullet proof." I spun on my heel and made my way up the stairs leaving a sputtering Vernon Dursley in my wake.

Arriving in Harry's room, I immediately opened his trunk and set a spell to pack his things. While the magic was doing its thing I tried to decide what to do about the Dursley home. I felt the blood wards break when I was downstairs. They must only be active if the house is still considered Harry's primary residence. That's probably why Dumbledore wanted him to come back. Oh, I would definitely be having words with the Headmaster.

As much as I dislike the Dursley's, I can't leave them as sitting ducks. I placed the same wards around the Dursley's house that I placed on the wolves' back home. If a wizard tried to break through, I'd be alerted. This will protect the house in the same manner as the blood wards did. I'm not sure why Dumbledore thought this was so safe, though. Harry's only safe _inside_ the house, and these people make him want to spend as much time _outside_ as possible. Oh yes, Dumbledore and I were going to have a little chat.

With the wards set, I shrunk Harry's trunk and stored it in my pocket. I then freed Hedwig and told her to head to Grimmauld Place before shrinking her cage and placing it in my other pocket. I should really leave. I shouldn't go back downstairs. It would be a bad idea. I really want to see this cupboard they housed Harry in for ten years, though. It's like some morbid need to see it with my own two eyes. Screw it, I'm doing it.

I quietly made my way down stairs. I could hear the Dursley's in the living room fussing over Dudley and what a horrible monster I am. Ha! I wonder what they'd think if they knew they had a vampire in their house.

When I reached the ground floor I tip toed toward the door under the stairs. It had a lock. On the outside. They would lock him in there. I involuntarily released a growl and opened the door. There was a cot and a book shelf inside. Nothing else. Harry slept on a cot for ten years. He didn't even have a proper bed. I felt my grasp on my emotions begin to slip. I could not kill these people. I _really_ want to, though. I need to get out.

I slammed the door shut and immediately spun on the spot. I wasn't sure I'd be able to control myself if I had to face that horrible man again.

I landed on the steps of Number Twelve and took what was supposed to be a calming breath. It didn't really help very much. That woman is Harry's Aunt. She's his family and she treated him like a burden. Nothing but an unwanted obligation. Oh, Harry.

I love Charlie and Renee. I always have, and I've always been grateful to them for bringing me into their family. But there are times like this that show me just how lucky I really was. Here these two people who had no responsibility to me, no reason to give me a second thought, brought me into their home. Into their family. They never treated me as a burden. I was a perfect stranger, but they gave me their love from the moment they arrived in my room at the orphanage that day. When they found out I was a witch, they didn't try to send me back to Doc's. They embraced my oddity. Rejoiced in it. They _never_ made me feel like some kind of freak for being able to use magic. When Charlie found out I was the daughter of alleged murderer Sirius Black, he didn't turn his back on me. It didn't even take more than a few minutes for me to convince him that my dad was innocent. The loved me. Always.

Petunia had her sister's son in her house and treated him like a servant. Made him sleep in a closet. Made him serve her family. Made him feel like he had no one in the world. The Dursley's weren't surprised to find out Harry was a wizard. They had ten years to come to terms with the knowledge. But they didn't embrace his abilities. No, they shunned him even further. Tried to keep him out of Hogwarts. Harry didn't receive an ounce of love from the time Jamie and Lily were killed until he made friends at Hogwarts.

I collapsed on the stairs of Number 12 feeling a deep sorrow take over my soul. While I was off creating mischief and enjoying my childhood knowing that I was loved, my brother was stuck with horrible muggles who made him feel like he was alone in the world. I was feeling cherished while he was feeling like some unwanted burden. I should have let Nicole hex them.

I was interrupted from my morose thoughts by Dad, Harry and Edward joining me on the steps of the house. If I wasn't so upset I'd probably giggle at their worried expressions. My father, brother and soul mate. I could see the love and worry in their eyes, and it just made me feel worse. "What's wrong, princess? Jasper said he could feel your sadness."

I turned my gaze to Harry. "I'm so sorry you had to grow up with them, Harry. So so sorry."

He looked surprised that he was the reason I was so upset. He sat down next to me and laid his arm across my shoulders. "Hey, don't worry about it. I never have to go back, right? Besides I learned how to make a mean breakfast. If you weren't a vampire I'd make you some eggs and bacon that would knock your socks off."

That set me off. I pulled him into an embrace and started dry sobbing into his neck. I could feel his panic. He didn't know what to do, or what he said to bring me to this level of sadness. "You're not a house elf, Harry! You're my brother. You know that, right?" I pulled away from him so that I could look into his eyes. He was looking bewildered, and I could feel uncertainty and confusion radiating through him.

"Harry, I don't care about blood relations and all that crap. You're my brother. My family. I love you so so much. I'm so proud to be your sister. Those people. They're horrible. They're not your family, Harry. We are. We're your family." Dad had sat down on the other side of Harry, and was nodding his head in agreement.

"I'm sorry that I didn't insist that you stay here, Harry. Albus insisted that you would be safest with your Aunt and Uncle. Your safety means everything to me, Harry, but you'll be safer here. I see that now. This house is under the Fidelius charm, and you'll have thirteen vampires looking out for you. I'd say there's no safer place in the world." Daddy smiled at me, and the three of us shared a group hug.

"It's okay, Sirius. I know you were just trying to do the right thing. Professor Dumbledore can be quite persuasive."

We pulled ourselves off the steps and followed Edward back into the house. "Harry, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Edward. Edward, this is my brother, Harry."

"Nice to meet you, Harry. Bella's told us all about you." Edward held out his hand for Harry, who eyed it for a second before shaking it.

"It's nice to meet you too, mate, but if you ever hurt my sister again you'll regret it. I don't care if you are a vampire, I'll figure out a way to make you hurt."

"I won't do anything to hurt her again, I promise."

Aw, my poor Edward. He's taking a bit of a beating. After dropping Harry's hand, I slid my body under Edward's arm and hugged him tightly, sending him all my love and adoration. He smiled down at me. "It's okay, love. I'm glad that you have people in your life that are willing to stand up to a vampire in order to protect you. They love you; it's their job to threaten my life."

I chuckled as we made our way back to the kitchen. Everyone was already there, and the nine recently dosed vampires were beaming at me. Even though I knew they'd have their human eye color back, it was still quite a shocking sight. It's amazing how such a small change can make them look infinitely more human. Maybe it's not just the eye color change, but their whole demeanor. They don't have to be so focused on controlling their bloodlust anymore. They can just relax and be themselves. I beamed back at them, happy to have facilitated such a positive change in their lives.

We all sat around the table and my families started getting to know one another, merging into one giant family right before my eyes. The Skirts regaled everyone with tales of our school years, revealing things that I would have preferred to stay between the four of us. The vampires told amazing stories of things they've seen and done throughout their many years of existence.

I noticed that Kate and Daddy were sitting next to each other having their own private conversation. I looked to Jasper and he moved his attention to me when he felt my eyes on him. I glanced toward Kate and Daddy with a raised eyebrow. He looked over to them and grinned. I glanced into his thoughts when he returned his gaze back to me.

_They're mates._

I nodded my head infinitesimally, and Edward's attention flew to Jasper. Jasper mentally told Edward he was referring to my dad and Kate, and Edward turned his attention to the couple. A goofy grin overtook his features and he looked down at me. I returned the smile, letting him know I was happy for them. Merlin knows my father can use as much happiness in his life as he can get. He's got 12 years in Azkaban to make up for. The fact that he'll be the most important thing in the world to a vampire doesn't hurt, either. Kate will protect him with her life, and love him unconditionally. I couldn't ask for much more in my father's mate.

The room was buoyed by the happiness that was leaking from me and Jasper. The group started to get louder and more exuberant when I heard it.

"Blood Traitors! Shame of my flesh! Inviting filthy Mudbloods and Blood Traitors into the house of my fathers! Disgrace!"

The vampires leapt to their feet ready for action. I just laughed, as did the humans. Oh, Grandma. So predictable.

"Edward, would you like to come meet your future granny-in-law?"

He looked at me curiously with his head cocked to the side. "The woman screaming is your grandmother?"

"Yep," I said, popping the 'p'. "She's a real gem."

I led Edward up the stairs while my dad led everyone else around the other side. He was going to use the side entrance to the library so they could watch without Walburga seeing them.

When we made it in front of the portrait, Grandma's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "What? Oh the shame! You have brought even more disgrace to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black! You have changed into a filthy half-breed and mated with another piece of filth!"

I smiled brightly at my insane ancestor. Edward looked murderous. You can't kill her, babe, she's already dead. I sent a wave of mirth to Edward, letting him know I wasn't bothered by her antics.

"Hey Gran! I see that you've noticed the change in me. It turns out your friend, Tom Riddle, was using a vampire to help him try and kill my brother, Harry. The vampire in question joined him because he promised to give her revenge on me. Don't worry, though, Grammy, I got away. She got a bite in, sure, but I turned her to dust!"

"Shame! You are a disgrace to your ancestry! A humiliation to my fathers!"

I changed my features to an expression that someone would have after an amazingly tender compliment, bringing my hand to my heart. "Thank you Grandma. That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

I reached out and hugged her portrait while she sputtered incoherently. "So, Gran, I want to introduce you to my boyfriend, Edward. He's a Gemini with multiple degrees in medicine and science. He's 94 years old, and able to provide me with a stable home. He plays the piano like a dream and loves long walks in the woods. His favorite food is mountain lion, but will settle for a nice herd of deer."

I looked to her hateful countenance with mock regret. "Now, he's not a blood relative. I know you would probably prefer for me to be with a cousin, but I love him, Grandma. Please try and be happy for me." I held her gaze with mock hope in my eyes.

She glared at me with undisguised loathing. "You bring degradation to the name of Black! You are a disgrace! An embarrassment! You shame me to my very core! You do not deserve to live, you vermin! Tom should have killed you!"

Her words didn't bother me, but they ignited a flame in both Edward and my father. Daddy came flying out of the library at the same moment Edward rammed into the portrait. The frame didn't dislodge from the wall, but a hole was torn in the wall around the area that held the portrait. It was like in the cartoons when one of the characters runs through a wall. It leaves a hole in the exact shape of the character.

This is what happened to the portrait. The wall is stable behind the frame because of the permanent sticking charm. The surrounding wall, however, not so much. A Walburga portrait sized hole was left in the wall, and Edward was on the ground atop old Granny's angry face.

My dad stood staring at the now dislodged wall/portrait, speechless. He'd been trying to get the hag off the wall since he moved in. He never thought to remove the entire wall. Edward quickly righted himself, nervously watching my father's reaction. "I'm so sorry, Sirius! I didn't mean to destroy your wall; she just made me so angry. I'll fix it, I swear!"

Daddy looked back to Edward and laughed. It was loud and carefree, his eyes dancing merrily. He approached Edward and threw his arm around him. "My dear boy, I have been trying to get my shrew of a mother out of this house for the last seven months! If I would have thought to remove the whole wall I would have done it ages ago! Welcome to the family, Edward! I can't keep giving you a hard time after the favor you just did me!"

Edward smiled back nervously, still feeling a bit uneasy about taking out a wall in my father's house. "Edward, don't worry. My dad is seriously happy that he'll now be able to get rid of her portrait. Every time we make too much noise in the house she throws her curtains off and starts ranting. It will be much easier for everyone to live here without her presence. Trust me."

Edward was smiling more confidently when my father started levitating the portrait out to the back yard. Walburga wasn't screaming so spitefully now. I think she realized her time was coming to an end.

Daddy created a fire pit in the center of the small yard and placed the portrait inside. He then proceeded cast an _Incendio_, but the portrait would not catch fire. Harry, Remy, The Skirts and I formed a circle around the portrait and cast the charm at the same time. The frame still refused to light up. There was some sort of flame resistant charm placed on the stupid thing.

Dad sighed resignedly. "I guess I can just send her to the family vault. I'd really rather her be destroyed, though. The shrew wished my child dead."

I could feel the anger rolling off everyone in the yard. They all wanted her destroyed. "Alright, everyone, back up."

They all looked to me curiously, except my girls. They knew what I was up to and they smirked at me. "You're such a show off, Bella."

"What can I say, Sammie? Everyone wants to see the hold hag turn to dust. I can make that happen. Now, everyone back up. Like way back."

The continued eyeing me curiously as they lined up along the wall of the house. "Good, now stay back. No one is to approach me or break my concentration until the fire is gone, understood?"

Daddy realized what I was going to do and tried to stop me. "Bella, wait! It's not that important. You don't want to risk this."

"I got this, Daddy. If I could control it while I was burning alive, I can control it now. Just stay back."

I conjured the Fiendfyre before he could argue further, and a fiery dragon erupted from my hands. The dragon looked to me for its instructions, and I guided him to the portrait. Walburga's eyes grew wider than I'd ever seen them, and she began to scream bloody murder. The dragon quickly descended upon her and she was turned to ash in mere seconds. The dragon then turned its attention back to me. It was so easy to control the fiend, now. Almost effortless. I sent my magic into the beast and banished him easily.

When I turned back to my family I was met with nineteen astounded faces. The only one who'd seen me conjure the cursed fire was Harry, but there'd been a lot going on last time. It also seemed that there was a world of difference in knowing I could control it and seeing it firsthand.

I smiled smugly at their astonished faces and bowed. "Ta da!"

This loosened the group from their shocked stupor and I was quickly inundated with hugs and high fives. "That was so clutch, Bella! Total win!" I laughed at everyone's enthusiasm and we all filed back inside. It was getting late, and the sleepers needed to get some rest.

The vampires gathered in the library after we said our goodnights. Kate spoke first. "Bella, Sirius gave us a tour of the house when you were gone to retrieve Harry. Your elf, Kreacher, hasn't kept the place up, and your father was telling us he'd eventually like to renovate the whole house. We thought we could do that, you know, as a thank you for accepting all of into your family so easily. You don't understand what it's like, because you've only been a vampire for a few weeks, and everyone in your life already knew of our existence. For us, though, it's been decades and centuries of hiding away. Of being on the outside of the world, looking in. Your family is giving us the opportunity to come inside. To be included in a world where we truly belong. Renovating the house is the lease we can do. We can even do most of the work while they sleep. You can place a silencing charm around the room we're working on, so we don't disturb their rest. What do you think?"

I smiled brightly in response. I can feel that she has a deep desire for my acceptance now that she realizes my father is her mate. I decided to put the issue out there so that we're all on the same page.

"I know my father is your mate, Kate." She looked down nervously, so I just smiled and sent a wave of acceptance and joy her way. Her head shot up quickly with a brilliant smile. "I'm happy for you both, Kate. I know that you're a good person, and that my father couldn't possibly be loved by a human with the same unwavering devotion as he will with you. I'm glad he's found his other half. I'm not sure I could ever look at you as a mother figure, but we are still family."

She had me pulled into her embrace in the next second. "Thank you, Bella! I'm so relieved that you're okay with everything. Sirius loves you more than anything. He'd never pursue a relationship with me if you were against it."

"I wouldn't do that to either of you, Kate. I understand the bond that you share with him. It's unbreakable. You're destined to be together. I'm so very happy for the both of you. Truly."

With the air cleared about the new relationship, we began planning the renovation of the house. Esme and Carmen already had a ton of ideas. They'd blown through all the books they purchased on magical architecture and interior design. They pulled out a book and started drawing sketches of each room. They were going to present the ideas to my father in the morning and get his input on how he'd like the house to look.

I sat back and watched the twelve vampires discuss the best ways to turn this old creepy mansion into a home that my whole family can feel comfortable in, and felt a deep contentment seep into my bones. Sure, we still had trials in our future. The first will undoubtedly come when Dumbledore realizes Harry's been removed from the Dursley's. We'll handle it though. Together. After all, that's what families do.

**A/N:**

**Hello my pretties! As always, I'd like to start out with thanking my reviewers who bring a smile to my face and a pep to my step!**

**Lara, bloody alana, GenoBeast, lunarwing, Sweetie7Smiled, AFlawInCourage. Carj89, Dreamsb223, haileydelacour101, Silver Moonlight-81, Dreamer Horse, Angel JJK, vivx-chan, ., and Amerilia Lily Lotus!**

**Special shout out to Dreamer Horse. I wasn't planning to include Mrs. Black's portrait anymore, but you inspired me to use her again in the story! I'd like to dedicate her destruction to you! :)**

**Now, this chapter was kind of a transition chapter to get the two groups merged into one. Bella has always placed the utmost importance on familial bonds, so I felt it was necessary to the story. She needs her family to be together, and to accept each other. You also see that Sirius and Kate are mates. She got the most votes, so I went with her. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!**

**The next chapter will take us over the summer before Harry's fifth year. We'll see Dumbledore's reaction to Harry's presence at Grimmauld and the disintegration of the Dursley's blood wards. I'm also thinking of throwing in a bit of Sirius POV so we can see what's going through his head. Let me know what you think!**

**Now, I am going to give you guys a rec. I don't typically do this, but I am reading a story right now that totally rocks my socks. As you can tell by my name, I am a total Tom Riddle fangirl. My favorite ship is Hermione/Tom Riddle/Voldemort. I don't like the Voldemort/Tom Riddle from the original books/movies, as they really only focus on how awful he is. There are some really talented fanfiction authors who focus on this ship, though. Their stories are incredibly original, creative and exciting. I have a ton I could rec for you, but I'm sticking with this one first. It will allow you to kind of get your feet wet in this ship. It's got smut and a bit of violence, so this rec goes out to those old enough to read Mature content.**

**The story is called Tertius Vita by Shan84. In the story, everyone thinks Voldemort dies when the killing curse rebounds, but he doesn't. His body is being held by the ministry after the battle when a young Tom Riddle emerges from the case they put him in. Kingsley decides to obliviate him and place false memories of a muggle life in his mind. He then releases him to live his life in the muggle world with certain precautions placed over him to make sure he doesn't revert. He ends up meeting Hermione at muggle University, and they start dating. There was a specific part in the last chapter that I thought was brilliantly funny, and I wanted to share it will my lovely readers. **

**Tom and Hermione are in a park when they notice a garden snake. The snake starts talking to Tom, who internally freaks out a bit, which is funny on its own, really. Hermione removes the snake from the crowded area of the park so it's not hurt. She places a calming spell in it so that the snake doesn't freak out. It strikes Tom as odd that she handled the snake so well, and he asks her about it. This is her explanation:**

_**Tom looked down at her, the way she looked at him; it almost felt as though she knew something he didn't. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he chose his next words carefully. "The snake… How did you know how to handle it?"**_

_**Hermione briefly averted her eyes and Tom took the chance to move down onto the couch and sit beside her. "Oh. That. Well, I'd seen something on a wild life program before…" **_**Lie**_**. "**__**Showing how to pick them up." **_**Lie**_**. **__**"And my school once took us to a wildlife park when I was about 12 or 13," **_**Lie**_**. **__**"Oh, you should have seen me when I first saw one… it absolutely **_**petrified **_**me." She continued, letting out a nervous laugh at the end of her story. **_

**The way she brought in the fact that Hermione had been petrified by the basilisk made me LOL. Love it. Anyway, it's a really great story, and I don't think you'll be disappointed if you check it out. If you decide you like the pairing, PM me and I'll give you some more recs.**

**Thanks friends!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Urg! The past two months have been Grade A shitty, my friends. At the end of May, my company announced that they are selling off half the business units, so everyone has been very nervous about losing their jobs. It turns out it is very difficult to concentrate on creative writing when you're worried you're going to lose your job. I found out this week that I am staying, but they are letting almost half of my department go, so it still sucks. The people leaving are my friends. **

**However, finding out that I don't have to worry about my job has allowed some of those creative juices to start flowing again, and I started finishing up Chapter 18. I was setting my laptop up in my favorite chair when the stupid thing slipped off the chair and ****onto the hardwood floor, totally destroying it. So, this afternoon was spent at Best Buy picking out a new one, and starting the chapter over. **

**I wanted to post something today, as it's been so long since I've posted anything, so this chapter will be shorter than normal. I will try to get back to a more regular updating schedule. I won't post as quickly as I did in the beginning, but I will try to post weekly. Operative word there is "try". Anywho, thanks for sticking with me, guys. I hope you enjoy! :)**

Chapter 18:

The night turned out to be very productive. The books that Esme and Carmen bought explained the Arithmetic principles behind creating "wizard's space". That is, space within other space. It pretty much destroyed any limits to the vampires' imaginations. They could create any type of room they wanted.

Everyone was most excited about the plans for the basement dungeons. They were located in the lowest level of the multiple basements, deep underground. The space was already massive, but deeply depressing. The plan was to remove all the cells and create a fair amount of space, making the room taller. The ceilings would end up being about 50 feet tall.

We figured out the charms needed so we could enchant the ceiling like the one in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The ground would be covered with dirt and grass, complete with permanent cushioning charms. Then comes the three hoops on either side of the room. That's right, folks. There was going to be a legal sized Quidditch pitch in the basement at Grimmauld Place. There would be comfortable seating on either side of the pitch so that people could watch the games.

The room was large enough length wise that it would also fit a large in ground swimming pool, with diving boards, rope swings and slides. I decided that we'd let Neville and Harley decide on the landscaping around the pool to turn it into a tropical paradise. We even set aside some space to give Buckbeak some room to roam, and the ceilings were high enough that he could spread his wings when we weren't playing Quidditch.

The room was drawn up on a board, along with all the calculations needed to expand the space. The drawings were very professionally done, and made it easy to see how amazing the room would be. The same process was used for all other rooms as well.

In the end we had plans for all the rooms in the house, sans the occupied bedrooms, which we were going to create with the input of the person to whom the room belonged. All in all, there was a ballroom, dueling room, state of the art potions lab, library, greenhouses (which again would be set up with the help of Neville and Harley), drawing rooms, state of the art kitchen, bowling alley, multiple guest bedrooms/bathrooms, and my personal favorite, the media room.

Oh yes, the intellectual capacity of a room full of vampires is almost frightening. You see, a house like Grimmauld Place shouldn't be able to include a muggle media room. There is too much magic flowing through the house, causing the electronics to fry almost immediately. Emmett, however, was insistent that we figure something out.

After pouring over the Books on Runes and Arithmancy, we figured out how to suppress the magic in a room. It was truly a ground breaking concept. There were special Runes that had to be placed on specific points on each wall, which would negate any magic used in the space within. There were many ways to use this method, and I was looking forward to discussing them with others…Mainly Mad-Eye. We could possibly create some sort of device to surround Death Eaters when they attack that would disallow them to use magic. Then it would be just a matter of rounding them up and taking them away. First things first, though. Emmett _needs _Halo.

We picked a room on the edge of the house so that Emmett could run the cables needed to give the room electricity. Then it was just a matter of getting the electronics we needed, which would include arcade games. Pac-man was a must. Oh, and we could even have the internet! This was definitely an exciting room. It would totally mystify the purebloods who've never been exposed to muggle technology.

Around nine the next morning, I heard the humans moving around sleepily. I decided to make them breakfast while the vampires finished last minute tweaks to the designs. I was moving around the kitchen, excited to begin the renovations when I heard Kreacher grumbling behind me.

"Filthy half-breed sullying the name of Black and destroying my Mistresses' portrait. Disgrace, she is."

I decided to speak to the creature in order to try and reason with him. We were turning this dark old mansion into a warm, inviting home, and we didn't need Kreacher shuffling about bringing everyone down.

"Kreacher, what did you think about Regulus?"

"Master Regulus was a good wizard. He made Mistress proud and brought honor to the house of Black. Unlike Master Sirius and Mistress Isabella who bring disgrace!" Kreacher practically spat his response.

"Have you ever seen Regulus' handwriting, Kreacher? Would you recognize it if you saw it?"

"Of course Kreacher would!" he snapped. "Kreacher is a good elf! Kreacher cleaned up after Master Regulus many times and has seen his writing!"

"Good. Do you know how to read?"

He looked at me curiously, before shaking his head in the negative. "Would you trust me to read something to you? It's a letter that Regulus left for me," I asked.

He looked at me skeptically before he replied. "Elves have a spell that will read to us when our Masters leave written instructions. Kreacher could use the spell to read it."

I nodded and pulled out my pouch to retrieve Regulus' letter from the vault. "Now Kreacher, this letter is very special to me. I command you to treat it with respect, and to in no way harm it. Do you understand?"

"Kreacher understands. He will not harm Master Regulus' letter."

I handed him the letter, and his face betrayed his shock when he saw that it was indeed Regulus' handwriting. He cast the spell and a voice I'd never heard before began to read the words Regulus left for me long ago.

I began moving the prepared breakfast onto the table while the voice read the letter and noticed my Dad leaning against the door jamb with a faraway look on his face. When the letter concluded, Kreacher distraughtly ran from the kitchen. I watched him go, confused.

"The spell he used reads the words in the voice of the author. That was my brother's voice you heard. Kreacher probably thought you charmed the letter to look like his handwriting, but you couldn't have changed the author. He knows that Regulus wrote the letter, and that he wanted you be raised as a muggleborn. I imagine it is a bitter potion for him to swallow."

I walked up to him and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry you didn't get to say goodbye to him, Daddy. I'm sure he's found peace beyond the veil, though. He died knowing that he was doing the right thing, that he was helping the side of the Light. You'll see him again one day."

He hugged me back tightly and I could feel him smile at my words. "Thanks, Princess."

At that moment the rest of the humans trailed in following their noses to the food. The vampires were not far behind, eager to show Sirius their ideas for the renovation. Once everyone got settled into their places, the vampires began their presentation. To say that the humans were astounded would be a massive understatement.

"You came up with all of this last night? As in the last ten or so hours?" My dad asked in shock.

Kate beamed at him. "Yep! Vampires work fast. We'd already read a ton of books on wizarding architecture and interior design, so we had a lot of ideas floating around already."

He just smiled and shook his head while looking over the designs with the others. He loved every one of their ideas, which pleased my vampires immensely. Everyone was discussing the plans and more ideas we hadn't considered when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

I looked down, shocked to see that it was Kreacher vying for my attention. "May Kreacher speak to Mistress Isabella in private?"

He spoke quietly but all the vampires could hear, which drew their attention to the normally ornery and disrespectful elf. The shift in the vampires' attention alerted the humans as well. All eyes were now on the two of us.

"Of course, Kreacher. We'll go outside, yeah?"

"Thank you, Mistress."

Ooookay. That is not normal. All of the occupants of the room were gaping at the little elf's change in attitude. I was fairly gaping myself, but I followed him nonetheless.

We made our way out to the back garden where the future greenhouses would soon be erected. Kreacher extended his hand to return Regulus' letter. "I know what Master Regulus was planning that caused his death."

Okay, now I was definitely gaping. In fact, my jaw was in danger of permanent dislocation. I began to sputter in a most undignified way. "What…You know what he was doing? How he died?"

Kreacher looked to the ground with tears welling in his eyes. "Kreacher tried to be a good elf, but Kreacher couldn't destroy it! He tried everything, but nothing can harm it! Master Regulus' last order was for Kreacher to destroy it, but Kreacher can't! I promise Kreacher tried!"

The little elf was now wailing inconsolably. I dropped to one knee to bring myself down to his level and grabbed his little shoulders gently. "Tell me what happened, Kreacher. Maybe I can help you destroy whatever it is."

He lifted his face to mine with a look of unadulterated hope. "Really Mistress? You'll help Kreacher carry out Master Regulus' last wish?"

"I'll try, Kreacher. Just tell me what happened."

And he did. He told me how Regulus joined the Death Eaters at the insistence of his mother. How Regulus didn't really want to join, but didn't see any alternative. He said that Voldemort demanded the use of his house elf, and took Kreacher to a cave by the sea. He made Kreacher drink what sounds like a nightmare potion to check on a locket inside a basin.

Once he was satisfied, Voldemort replaced the potion then left Kreacher there to die, but he didn't realize that house elves can apparate through anti-apparation wards. Honestly, if elves can apparate inside Hogwarts, how on Earth did he think his wards would be any challenge to them? He probably didn't think about them at all. Elves are beneath wizards after all, I thought sarcastically. Bloody arrogant bastard.

When Kreacher returned home, he told Regulus what happened in the cave. Regulus was wary of the object, and after learning about the murder of his niece he made plans to go to the cave and destroy the locket. He then found out I was still alive, but decided to go ahead with his plans anyway. He never told Kreacher he'd rescued me first.

He had Kreacher take him back to the cave and he drank the potion himself. When he was finished he tried to take a drink from the lake, but was attacked by Inferi. His last act before being taken under by the animated corpses was to order Kreacher to take the locket back to Grimmauld and destroy it. It was a task Kreacher was unable to complete.

I was stunned speechless by the end of Kreacher's tale. My uncle truly was a good man, and a hero. He could have made Kreacher drink the potion again, but he didn't. He drank the potion and gave up his life to try and destroy something of Voldemort's.

"Wow, Kreacher. Regulus was a truly brave wizard. I'm proud to call him my uncle."

"Yes. Master Regulus was a good wizard. Master Regulus wouldn't like for Kreacher to be disrespectful to his brother, niece and their friends. Kreacher will be better, but please help Kreacher destroy the locket." He extended the cursed object to me, and I could feel the dark magic once it touched my skin. This was a very dangerous artifact.

"Okay, Kreacher. I am going to show this to Professor Dumbledore first to see what he makes of it. Then we will look into how to destroy it. I promise I will let you watch when we do it."

His ugly little face lit up into a rather frightening smile and he hugged my legs. "Thank you, Mistress! Kreacher will be a good elf! Kreacher will help the other half breeds to fix up the house!"

"Kreacher!" I admonished sternly. "You will not speak of my family that way. You may call them vampires, and you will never _ever_ use the term Mudblood again. I know that it will be hard for you to break this habit, but you must try. I demand for my friends and family to be treated with respect."

"Yes, Mistress. Kreacher is sorry. Kreacher will stop using those words."

"Thank you, Kreacher. And thank you trusting me with Regulus' last wish. We'll find a way to get rid of this cursed locket, I promise."

Kreacher apparated away and I walked back into the kitchen, immediately gaining everyone's attention. "I'll need to explain this all to Dumbledore. Everyone can hear it then. I don't want to have to get into the whole thing twice."

Everyone nodded in understanding. While I was outside, the vampires decided they wanted to go out to Diagon Alley and muggle London to start shopping for necessities. I wasn't really up to it after what I learned about Regulus' death, so I told them to head out without me. I didn't really feel comfortable with Harry going out, either. In the end, Sammie and Harley decided to take most of the vampires out on their shopping excursion. Nicole and Daddy decided to stay and keep me and Harry company, so Edward and Kate decided to stay as well.

The six of us were chatting in the kitchen when I noticed that Daddy was anxiously glancing over at Kate every few minutes. I could tell that he was nervous about what I would think about his feelings towards Kate. I decided to let him know.

"Daddy, Kate was asking me about hippogriffs the other day. Why don't you take her upstairs and introduce her to Buckbeak?" I asked. Then I smiled and winked at him.

He barked a laugh, shaking his head. "Subtle, Princess. " He kissed my temple on his way out of the kitchen and whispered, "Thank you, Pumpkin," in my ear.

I beamed a smile at him, genuinely happy for his happiness. Nicole and Harry looked confusedly at their backs when they walked out of the kitchen. "They're mates," I explained bluntly.

Nicole and Harry just beamed their own smiles in answer. They both wanted my dad to find as much happiness as he possibly could.

We decided to introduce Harry to Spades, as he'd never played before and Nicole had become obsessed with the game. Nicole already practiced Occlumency, so I used the trick I'd learned yesterday with the Dementors to extend my shield to Harry, which caused Edward to pout.

I just grinned at him, "Not so easy when you can't see everyone's hand, is it?"

He grinned back. "We'll still win," he answered smugly.

We decided to play boys against girls, so Nicole was on my team. We thought it was unfair to pit two humans against two vampires. This evened out the playing field a bit. Harry quickly picked up the game and we played a couple of games before lunch. Nicole and I were the ultimate champions, winning 2 out of 3 hands. We promised the boys a rematch later.

Kreacher surprised us by preparing lunch for the humans. They were enjoying their food and we were all enjoying the company when a frantic Albus PWB Dumbledore stepped through the floo. "Harry is missing!"

He was looking frantically at Sirius' amused face when he looked around the table and stopped at the sight of Harry. "What is this, Harry? You are supposed to be staying with your Aunt and Uncle! The ministry sent you a notice on the use of underage sorcery, but the owl couldn't find you. The Minister is planning on trying you and snapping your wand. Everyone who isn't against you within the Ministry is fearing the worst!"

"Ah, crap! I completely forgot about that useless rule! Honestly, how are students supposed to learn if they can't use magic for three months out of the year? It won't matter anymore, though, Harry. They can't detect magic within a Fidelius."

"Miss Black, I believe you are missing the point! Harry can't stay here. It is not safe. He _must_ go back to Privet Drive!" Dumbledore was speaking to us like we were errant children. Honestly, where does he get off?

"No, Albus. He does _not_ have to go back to Privet Drive. Ever. I am his guardian and it is my right to decide where he spends his time away from school, not yours." Go Daddy!

"Sirius, we've discussed this. The wards over that house are the only ones strong enough to keep Harry safe. He must stay there. It is imperative. This is not up for discussion." He made motions for Harry to follow him, but Harry didn't budge.

"Why is it that you think those wards are so safe, Professor? Harry was attacked by Dementors when Nicole and I showed up to bring him back here. That doesn't sound very safe to me." My soft tone belied my barely contained raged. Who the hell does this old goat think he is?

"Dementors?" Wow, way to get all the facts before you barge in making demands, oh bearded one.

"Yes, I was walking home from the park with Dudley when two Dementors trapped us in an alley and tried to administer the Kiss to us both. I didn't realize that Bella and Nic were almost to us, so I cast the Patronus in order to save our souls." Harry explained his predicament calmly, but I could tell he was upset. Dumbledore seems determined to ensure he never gets a say in his own life.

"You did the right thing, Harry. Your stag was already chasing them away by the time we got there. If you had waited it may have been too late." I had an idea on how to deal with these ridiculous charges, and I'd discuss them with my fellow mischief makers when Dumbledore left.

He smiled appreciatively at me for my support and we turned our attention back to Dumbledore. "Miss Black is right, Harry. You had no choice but to cast the charm, but that doesn't change the fact that you must return to your family."

"He's with his family, now!" My dad and I chorused simultaneously.

Harry lowered his head to hide his massive grin from his Headmaster. I could feel his contentment at our retort, though.

"You are not blood relations. The protection in his blood must be recharged yearly. It is imperative to Harry's safety." Damn, Dumbledore is stubborn.

"How do you figure that, Headmaster? Voldemort used Harry's blood to create his new body. The same blood that runs through Harry's veins now runs through Voldie's. Even if the blood protection was still valid, I still wouldn't let you send him back there, even if I had to kidnap him myself. Those people are horrible to him. They are abusive and belittling. Voldemort stripped him of his parents and you're trying to strip him of everyone else who loves him! We won't stand for it! He is a kind and loving young man and deserves to be around people who love and appreciate him! You will never send him back to those animals that try and strip him of every bit of his self-worth ever again! You have no say in his care, and we will take it up with the Wizengamot if you try to take away Lord Black's right to make decisions for his godson!" I turned to my father who was smiling widely. "Right, Daddy?"

"You know it, Princess! Harry is not your responsibility, Headmaster. If you can't accept that, I'll revoke your use of Grimmauld as Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix and ban you all from entering this home. After all, you are the secret keeper. Harry should be perfectly safe as long as you don't reveal the location of this house. I'll even look into alternate schooling for Harry if need be."

I decided to drive the final nail into the coffin and put this issue to rest. "Besides, the wards around the house have already fallen. I felt them fall when I was packing up Harry's belongings."

The Headmaster gaped at me in horror. "The wards fell?"

"Yes, I replaced them with some custom wards that The Skirts developed, and we will be alerted if anyone tries to break them. The Dursleys will have just as much protection now as they did when Harry lived with them. I wouldn't leave them as sitting ducks, even if they don't deserve our protection."

Dumbledore looked both relieved and agitated at the same time. I could feel that he was upset over having his plans ignored. He definitely wasn't used to that. Well tough cookies.

He finally nodded his head resignedly. "Very well. Harry, you'll need to go to the Ministry tomorrow for your trial. I'll give Sirius the details and we can go over the safety precautions." He motioned for my dad to lead the way to speak privately, but I wanted to ask him about the locket first.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Black."

I pulled the locket from my pocket and laid it out on the table. "I spoke with Kreacher earlier. I let him read the letter Regulus left me in an attempt to change his attitude towards us. He told me that he knew about the mission that led to Regulus' death. He was with him." I looked to the others in the room. "I'll go ahead and tell the story now, since the Professor is here, but you all have to fill in the others. I don't want to have to retell this sad tale again."

The agreed and I moved closer to my dad and took his hand while I repeated the story Kreacher told me. Dumbledore was visibly shaken by the end of the explanation and eyed the locket with undisguised trepidation.

"What is it, Professor? Why couldn't Kreacher destroy it?"

"I don't know, Miss Black."

"You're lying. You can't lie to me with my new vampire abilities, Professor. You know what it is. Please tell us. Let us help you. That bastard has taken the lives of so many people that we love. My uncle died to retrieve this blasted object. We have a right to know what this is about."

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Very well, Miss Black. This is a Horcrux."

Nicole, Daddy and I gasped in horror, while Harry asked, "What's a Horcrux?"

A/N:

**First off – Big thanks to my reviewers! You guys always make me smile and I totes appreciate you!**

**TorchwoodIsAwesome, Lara, Ittybittyelfy, Sakura Ichigo Morihiko, Maria1415, SuperGirlFromCali, deathgeonous, Madeline Cullen, idon'tedit, XxHelixRiderxX, carj89, Smile-Evily, Amerilia Lily Lotus, 'Lil Obsessed, AFlawInCourage, lunarwing, bloodyalanna, Dreamsb223, WriterOfTheGods, DreamerHorse, vivx-chan and Angel JJK!**

**Okay, I put up a poll on my profile. I've been getting mixed requests asking, "Please keep the HP couples canon!" and "Please don't let Harry end up with Ginny!"**

**I personally don't like the canon pairings, but I was planning to keep them canon as they aren't really a focal point of the story. However, if you guys want me to stray from canon, vote in the poll and I'll pair them up differently. If you wanted them non-canon, I'd probably do Harry/Hermione, Ron/Luna and Neville/Ginny. Just let me know what you prefer!**

**I also mentioned in the last chapter that I might include a Sirius POV. In the first draft of this chapter I wrote a lot of Sirius' POV, but I wasn't really happy with it. I'm afraid my computer wasn't either and that's why it decided to slip off my chair and off itself. Honestly, did it have to be so drastic? Anyway, I will probably still do it, as I'm interested in his side of things, but I don't want to include it in this story. I'll probably end up doing an outtake for it. I'll let you guys know when I post something. **

**And who saw the final Deathly Hallows? I went to the midnight IMAX 3D showing, and it was awesome! I thought it was a great way to end the franchise!**

**Alright, I think I'm finished with my blabbing. Thank you all for reading and please let me know what you think! Thanks!**


	19. Chapter 19

Previously:

_Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Very well, Miss Black. This is a Horcrux."_

_Nicole, Daddy and I gasped in horror, while Harry asked the question both Edward and Kate were also desperately wondering, "What's a Horcrux?"_

Chapter 19:

Dumbledore slumped into a chair looking much older and more weary than I've ever seen him. "A Horcrux is a container that holds a piece of someone's soul. You see, it is possible to rip your soul into pieces and transfer part of it to an object outside of your body. That way if your body is destroyed, the rest of your soul will still have an anchor to the mortal world."

"So that's why Voldemort didn't die when his curse rebounded off me? He had made this Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"I believe so, Harry. Only it seems he's created more than one. You destroyed one in your second year already."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise. Harry looked confused for only a few seconds before his eyes lit up in realization. "The diary," he stated.

Dumbledore nodded his head tiredly. "Yes, Harry. The diary was a Horcrux." Edward and Kate looked to me enquiringly, and I mouthed _Later._ "I suspected that he may have made more than one, but I had no proof until now. There is no telling how many Horcrux's he's made." The professor rubbed his forehead wearily at the end of his statement. I've never seen him look so dejected before.

I thought about the problem for a few minutes trying to think of something to contribute. I mean, there has to be a finite number of times that you can rip your soul to pieces, yeah? Every time you create a Horcrux you rip your soul in half. So after the first one was made he only had 1/2 of his soul remaining in his body. Then, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64…Can a person function with just a 64th of their soul? There are certain numbers in Arithmancy that create power. Splitting your soul 6 times would only leave you with a 64th of your soul and 6 isn't really a special magical number. 3 would be better. Then he'd be left with an 8th of his soul. 7 is the most powerful magical number, but that would only leave him with a 128th of his soul. That is madness! Would he really be willing to do that to himself in order to achieve the most powerful magical number?

I was brought out of my musings when I felt Edward's anger and sadness. I looked over to him curiously to see the emotions warring across his face. "What is it, Edward?"

"How could someone willingly rip apart their soul? Before I met you, I was tormented thinking that I'd lost my soul in the transformation. That the venom left me a soulless monster. You showed me that my soul was safe…as Harley said, that the venom just gave it a different body to inhabit, a different shell. When you finally made me see the truth, it was like you gave me the most precious gift. You gave me my soul back, and then allowed me to entwine mine with yours. It makes me angry…and sad that someone would be willing to so carelessly rip apart their own soul just for immortality. I just don't understand it. How do you even go about ripping apart your soul? I can't imagine the process is at all pleasant."

Crap. Why did he have to ask me this question? He's going to think that he shredded his soul during his "rebellious phase". I met his eyes and held his hand between mine. "You have to murder someone."

He tried to remove his hand from my grasp but I used all my newborn strength to make sure he didn't get away from me. His face was completely stricken. "Bella…" he whispered. There was so much torment in his voice. It made my heart ache for him. I had to stop his line of thinking, and quickly.

"Don't, Edward. It's not the same."

"It is the same, Bella. I've murdered people."

To my great surprise, Professor Dumbledore had my back. "She's right, Edward. It isn't the same. It is natural for vampires to hunt humans. If you feed off one, you are not committing murder any more than a human who enjoys a nice steak. The fact that you are now abstaining leads me to believe that your soul is perfectly intact, my boy. In fact, your clear remorse for the humans that you hunted in the past confirms it for me. For how you heal a broken soul is through genuine remorse."

"Listen to him, Edward, please. And you never hurt anyone who was innocent. You only hunted murderers and rapists. Think of all the innocent people who got to live a long and normal life because you removed their future murderer or rapist from the Earth." I looked into his eyes pleadingly.

He still looked skeptical, so I decided I had to dig deep. With every ounce of concentration and willpower I have I focused on lowering my shields. It was a very arduous task. They are very strong from years of practice as a human combined with vampire strength of mind. I finally pulled the last of the shield back to reveal my mind to Edward.

He looked over at me, shocked. I pulled his head down so that his forehead rested upon mine and looked directly into his eyes. I showed him his soul through my eyes. I _made_ him see how truly amazing it is.

I showed him the first time I saw him and how beautiful I thought he was. I showed him the conversation that I had with Jessica about his family, along with my inner commentary. I showed him how much I admired the amount of control he showed while sitting next to his singer for the first time while he was already thirsty. I showed him our experience with the van, and how I had fun messing with him a bit. He grinned impishly at my inner musings.

I then went through our time together starting with the night that he "saved" me from those muggle thugs. Every memory I had of our time together was saturated in my love and adoration for my soul mate. A soul that was just as pure and whole as my own.

When I got through the last of the memories I wanted to show him, my shields slammed shut and I slumped into Edward, exhausted. Not physically, mind you, but mentally. My brain was pooped. Edward's strong arms supported me as he crushed my body to his. The emotions rolling off him were so intense that I began to feel overwhelmed. The entire exchange had only lasted about thirty seconds, and afterward the rest of the occupants of the kitchen respectfully gave Edward a few moments to calm back down.

Finally Kate could no longer contain her questions. "What about if we kill a vampire? It would be the equivalent of a human killing another human. Does that damage your soul?"

Edward perked up at this. Jasper has killed many vampires, and the rest of his family sans Alice killed Laurent and James. Dumbledore adopted a pensive expression while he mulled over Kate's question.

"Let me ask you a question, Kate. If Harry killed Voldemort while they were dueling a few months ago, would you say that Harry's soul was damaged?"

She answered immediately. "Of course not! The monster was threatening Harry's life. He had every right to defend himself."

"Exactly. If you are being threatened, you have the right to defend yourself and your family. Miss Black's friends informed me about the two vampires that threatened her life. The Cullens killed the two males in order to protect Bella, so I don't believe this type of killing would damage a soul. Now, if you were to kill another vampire unjustly, I do believe that it would have an impact on your soul."

Edward and Kate looked down, upset. I know they are thinking of Jasper and Eleazar. "Edward, Jasper has true remorse for his past. When you continually damage your soul unchecked, it takes away that ability. You become less of what makes you, well you. Is that correct, Professor?"

"I do believe so, Miss Black. Jasper is a unique case. He is an empath which causes him to feel things much more strongly than most. Also, a vampire's nature is different from that of a human. It is more primal. I believe it showed an immense strength of character and conviction for Jasper to break away from the lifestyle of a vampire soldier to live a peaceful life without harming humans. That coupled with the remorse for his actions leads me to believe that Jasper's soul is indeed whole and undamaged."

I smiled gratefully at the Professor. I rarely agree with him on anything, and I will continue to challenge him when I believe he's in the wrong, but I decided right then to try and be more patient and respectful of the old goat…er, wise Professor. Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day, people!

Edward looked confused. "How did you know that Jasper was a part of a vampire army? I know the Skirts couldn't have told you that. Bella didn't know until after she was changed."

Dumbledore's eyes twinlked madly. I watched him warily before turning back to Edward. "Dumbledore is a master Legilimens. He can read the surface thoughts of unprotected minds just as easily as you can. Were you thinking of Jasper's time in the South just now?"

Edward's eyebrows rose comically. "He can read my mind?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes I can, Edward. You and your lovely mate are not the only beings in this house who can read a person's thoughts as if they were stating them aloud. I can also see that you are both concerned with Eleazar as well."

Kate and Edward nodded warily. I decided to put an end to this discussion. All my vampires have beautiful souls, and I don't want any of them to be doubted. "Eleazar was a member of the Volturi guard. To say that he should be condemned would be like saying a police officer or auror who has to kill on the job is guilty of murder. When he felt that the three brothers shifted their focus from maintaining the discretion of their species to a more Machiavellian power-driven type of institution, he left. Eleazar is a fair minded and kind man. I don't think you need to be worrying about his soul, either. We should really put this issue to rest. I am an excellent judge of character, after all. I wouldn't have allowed any vampire with a tainted soul into my family." I smiled cheekily causing the humans to chuckle and the vampires to visibly relax.

Dumbledore smiled kindly at Edward and Kate. "I have to agree with Miss Black. Now, about the Horcrux. I will begin researching ways to destroy it."

"Bella can destroy it," Daddy informed. "She can control Fiendfyre like it's her bloody familiar. I've never seen anything like it."

Dumbledore looked to me sharply. "Is this true, Miss Black. Fiendfyre is considered Dark Magic."

I was immediately irked by his tone and body language. He looked at me like I might sprout devil horns and start making out with Voldemort at any moment. Honestly. His assistance in placating my emo boyfriend was instantly forgotten in my annoyance, and I responded testily. "I'd like to see you have a raving murderous vampire out for your blood and see if you don't study the spell religiously. How did you think I got rid of her in the graveyard?"

"You controlled Fiendfyre while your body was burning with venom?" He asked me incredulously. "I never inquired about the vampire, because I figured that Voldemort dispatched her when he realized she was attacking Isabella Black. We all know that he had an obsession with you before he was vanquished."

"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me. And yes, I used Fiendfyre on her while I was burning. I also used it on my crazy old Granny this morning. She's toast."

His eyebrows lifted in shock. "You got her portrait down? How?"

Daddy barked out a laugh. "You can thank Edward for that. Mother went too far in her rant against Bella and Edward tackled her portrait. Took out the whole wall! I wish I would have thought to do that. The old hag would have been gone ages ago," he grumbled.

Dumbledore chuckled at that. "Well done, my boy. We have tried every magical means to remove that portrait. No one even thought of removing it in a more muggle manner." His eyes twinkled in that insane way they always do when he's especially amused. "Now Bella, why don't you show me your mastery of the Fiendfyre spell and rid the world of one more piece of Voldemort?"

"It would be my honor, Professor. By the way, I was thinking that he would have created either 3 or 7 Horcruxes. Three is a powerful magical number, and it wouldn't leave his remaining soul so unstable. Seven is the most powerful magical number, but it seems entirely too insane to split your soul that many times, even for Voldemort. I mean, that would mean that he only had a 128th of his soul left! That's barely anything!"

Dumbledore went into deep concentration at my musings. He was silent for many moments before he voiced his response. "That is very sound logic, Miss Black. Only I don't think it's too insane to think that Tom would split his soul 7 times. He'd want the most powerful magical number; he wouldn't settle for anything less. We can't be certain, of course, but I think we are looking at 7 Horcruxes."

Everyone looked sick at that revelation, and I could feel the disgust of everyone in the room. I tried to shake myself of those feelings as we all started to make our way to the back garden. When we made our way outside, I requested for everyone to stand back by the house while I put the locket in the fire pit.

"Kreacher!"

"Yes, Mistress?"

"We are going to be destroying the locket. Please stand back with the others."

The little elf was elated at the news and quickly joined the others by the house. Turning back to the locket I took a deep breath while reinforcing my Occlumency walls. Raising my hands, I concentrated on conjuring up my fiery friend.

The locket reacted as soon as the fiery dragon erupted from my hands. It started showing me images of all my worst nightmares. Edward leaving, Edward dying, Daddy receiving the Dementor's Kiss…Honestly, Voldie, is that the best you can do? You're just a glorified boggart! For Merlin's sake, I learned to deal with this type of attack in third year! I considered shouting "Riddikulus!" at the stupid soul piece, but decided instead to just get on with it.

My dragon was looking at me, awaiting its instructions. I winked at it, "Go get it, big boy!" The dragon's face erupted into a frightening smile and turned to attack the locket. It was over in a matter of seconds, and upon its destruction the soul emitted a piercingly loud scream of terror before it dissolved into nothing. I wasn't expecting it, and nearly lost control of my fiery friend in my surprise. Luckily vampires have quick recovery time. The dragon turned to me, practically begging me to let it destroy something else. "Sorry boy, that's all I've got for you today. There are a few more of those abominations, though, so I'll probably be calling on you again."

I received a fiery frown at that before banishing the beast into non-existence. I turned around to the astonished faces of my audience and chuckled. "Honestly, you guys saw me do that this morning."

Daddy was the first to break out of his dumbfounded trance. "It's still impressive, Princess."

I giggled and curtsied daintily. "Thank you, kind sir!"

That broke the others out of their stupor and they all laughed shakily. "It certainly was a sight, I have to agree. I've never seen someone able to control the spell as wholly as you just did, Miss Black." Sweet, I impressed Dumbledore!

"I practiced on regular fire quite a bit. Every time Charlie would kick Edward out of the house, in fact."

Edward grinned and pulled me into his embrace. "You never cease to amaze me, Bella."

I grinned brightly at him as we headed back into the kitchen. Dumbledore went straight for the fireplace, glancing at his watch. "I've got some business I need to take care of. Sirius, here are the notices Harry was sent yesterday. Grimmauld can't receive owls whose owners aren't keyed to the wards, so I'll be intercepting them for you. I'll get with you later this evening on security for his trip to the Ministry. We'll discuss the search for the remaining Horcruxes at a later date. I have much to think about in regards to them. Good day, everyone."

"Good day, Professor," everyone chorused.

As soon as he left the house Kreacher approached. "Thank you for destroying the locket and completing Master Regulus' last order, Mistress. Kreacher promises to be a good elf."

I smiled at the little guy. He wasn't so bad once he dropped the attitude. "Thank you, Kreacher."

After he left to do whatever it is he does, I turned to the rest of the group with a devious grin. Nicole immediately perked up when she saw my expression, bouncing in her seat. "What are you thinking, Bella?"

"Oh, I'm just thinking that I need our special camera, a pensieve and Rita Skeeter."

Nicole smiled scarily in response. "You're so brilliant, Bells. I'll get the camera, you grab the pensieve!"

We both raced off on our tasks leaving three bemused people behind. I made it back within seconds, while Nicole took a bit longer retrieving the camera. I took the time to explain the plan to the others who don't speak Skirt.

"In our sixth year we figured out a way to alter a wizard's camera in order to take pictures of a memory in a pensieve. Harry can pull his memory of the encounter and we'll take some pictures of the Dementors attacking. Then we'll take the pictures along with the note that Dumbledore left about the hearing to Rita Skeeter so that she can inform Britain that their Minister for Magic is planning to try Harry Potter for casting a Patronus that saved both his soul and that of his cousin." I leaned back and grinned smugly at the impressed faces around me. Only Harry seemed a bit hesitant.

"First of all, I have no idea what a penseive is. Second, I don't really want my picture in the paper any more than it already is."

Nicole walked in as Harry expressed his concerns. She glanced at me before trying to pull him over to our way of thinking. "A pensieve is basically just a way to review a memory. You pull it from your mind and place it in the basin. Then you can watch it over. It helps not only to preserve memories for sentimentality, but also to go over important events in search for details you may have previously overlooked. As for your second issue, I understand that you don't particularly enjoy your fame, Harry, but you're going to be in the paper regardless. You're a celebrity. Nothing is going to change that. So, if you're going to be in the paper anyway, you might as well use it to your advantage when you can. This is one of those times. Not only will you clear your name, but I imagine that the wizarding public will demand to know who set the Dementors on you in the first place. They are denying that Voldemort is back, so if they can't blame it on him, they'll be facing the blame themselves. The Dementors wouldn't have come without an order from _someone_, after all."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Nic. We could give the story to the Quibbler if you don't want it to go to Skeeter, Harry."

I glanced over to my Dad to see him staring at me with undisguised pride. "Honestly, Daddy. I'm second generation Marauder. Don't look so shocked. The one you should be concerned about is Harry. Where is his sense of mischievousness?"

Everyone laughed and I grinned at Harry in challenge. It didn't take long before he agreed. "Well, when you put it that way, I might as well use the bloody muckrakers to my benefit. I think we should go with Skeeter. More people will read it that way. I've never pulled a memory before, though."

"Oh, it's super easy," I explained. "All you have to do is think about the memory you want to pull while your wand is at your temple. When you have the memory clear in your mind, just imagine pushing it into the tip of your wand. When you feel a little tug at your temple, just pull the wand away and the memory will follow."

Harry nodded and proceeded to follow my instructions. He grinned as he watched the memory strand float on the tip of his wand. After basking in his achievement for a few moments he dipped the memory into the pensieve basin.

I looked at him inquiringly. "Do you mind if everyone comes in? I'm sure they'd like to see it as well. Nic is best at taking pensieve pictures, so if you're not comfortable with everyone seeing the entire memory she can just go in by herself."

He just shrugged his shoulders impassively. "I really don't care if you all see. I just don't like being painted as some boy wonder in the papers. I know you all won't look at me any differently when you see the memory."

I chuckled at his response. "Don't you worry, Harry. I can tell the difference between you and Robin."

Edward chuckled but everyone else just looked confused. "Batman and Robin? Robin is also known as the Boy Wonder? No? Nothing? Nevermind."

Edward smiled at me indulgently while patting my head. "It's okay, sweetheart. I got it."

I swatted his hand away and glared playfully. "Oh hush, you. All you have to do is dip a finger in the basin and your consciousness will be sucked into the memory."

Everyone followed my instruction and we were pulled into Harry's memory of the attack. We watched it once just to see how it happened through Harry's point of view and then went back in to take the best possible shots. Nicole went off to quickly develop the photos while the rest of us chatted excitedly about the article, all of us wishing we could be a fly on the wall of the Minister's office when he read it.

Nicole returned to the kitchen about fifteen minutes later with a satisfied glean in her eye. "They turned out fantastic! You can practically feel your nerves freeze over when you look at the pictures!"

We put our heads together for the next half hour deciding on the details and quotes we wanted to share with the public. We decided to keep any mention of Dudley out of the story for safety reasons. We didn't want to make the Dursley's a target if we could avoid it. Since muggles can't see Dementors, we decided to say the boy was a random muggle who was near Harry at the time of the attack. By the time Harry used magic to chase away the Dementors the boy was too out of it to notice the Patronus. It was clear this was true from the pictures.

We also discussed having Harry pull a pensieve of the graveyard incident so we could prove that Voldemort had returned. In the end we decided against it. First, the thought of concentrating on the incident in as much detail as required to pull the memory set Harry trembling violently. We didn't want to have to put him through that. Second, anyone who posted the pictures would more than likely end up six feet under before the weekend. We didn't want to be responsible for that. Third, Dumbledore could have easily pulled a memory to show Fudge his interrogation of Crouch, Jr., which would have detailed the events off the night and validated Harry's story. He didn't. We decided to follow his lead on this matter.

In the end we decided that it was too dangerous for Harry to venture out of the Fidelius, so he would have to stay back. Nicole and I got dibs on going since it was my idea and Nicole took the pictures. Edward also got to come by default. Apparently he couldn't _bear_ to be away from me. I rolled my eyes at him, but was secretly pleased. I didn't particularly enjoy being away from him, either.

I cast glamour over all of us so that we would be unrecognizable. I also placed a charm over our voices that would change our American accents to British ones. It wouldn't take much deductive reasoning to figure out the identities of the Americans bringing information on Harry Potter. I had become pretty well known and didn't want to become the subject of a story myself, and people might recognize Nicole from the TWT.

I side-along apparated Edward to Diagon Alley and the three of us made our way to the Daily Profit offices. Once there we requested an audience with Rita Skeeter regarding secret information on Harry Potter. We were seen immediately.

When we entered her office I pulled out my wand to cast some privacy charms. My wand was practically useless at this point. Since my transformation it only restricted my use of magic, as my wandless magic was much more powerful. However, I didn't want to draw attention to my abilities, so I used the wand for appearances sake.

Turning my attention to Skeeter, I sat in the proffered chair. She raised an eyebrow at me inquiringly. "What can I do for you all today?"

I nodded to Nicole and she began the explanation. "Yesterday evening Harry Potter was attacked by a pair of Dementors." Rita gasped in surprise. "He was walking down the street in an alleyway also occupied by a muggle when the Dementors descended. As you can see from these photos the Dementors tried to administer the Kiss to both boys. Would you say from these photos that Harry had any other choice but to defend himself with the Patronus charm, Miss Skeeter?"

She looked over the photographs with a feral glint in her eye. "No, Miss. I don't see any other alternative. Had Mr. Potter not been capable of forming a Patronus both boys would have lost their souls."

I nodded and continued the explanation. "The Ministry is going to be trying Harry tomorrow for the use of underage sorcery. They were going to snap his wand, but Albus Dumbledore managed to stay their hand until after the trial." I extended a copy of the first missive Harry would have received from the Ministry had he returned to Privet Drive.

"_Dear Mr. Potter, We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past six this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle. The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling on your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 8:30 A.M. on July 12th. Hoping you are well, Yours sincerely, Malfalda Hopkirk_"

"They were going to snap his wand over this? That's preposterous!" Wow, I'd never seen Skeeter look so indignant before. She's usually the one to spark this reaction in others.

"I know, Miss Skeeter. One has to wonder about the motive for such drastic repercussions. One also has to wonder about what brought the Dementors to the alleyway that Mr. Potter was occupying. The Ministry and your paper have been doing a thorough job of painting Mr. Potter as some attention seeking liar. Now, I would probably believe you if you told me that Voldemort sent the Dementors after Mr. Potter. However, if he is dead, and by no mean returned, that means someone within the Ministry sent them on their mission. I for one would like to know who that person is, and see them brought to justice. I think the best way to accomplish this task would be to publish the truth in the paper, making sure the public knows what their Ministry is up to. You know, transparency and all that."

Skeeter's face lit up in with a malicious grin. "I think I can help you there, Miss. Just leave these photos and documents with me. I'll make sure the people know what happened."

Nicole and I eyed her skeptically. We had some conditions before we entrusted her with this task. Nicole took over the conversation. "Excellent, Miss Skeeter. We do, however, have some conditions, and require you to sign a legal agreement of said conditions."

Her eyebrows rose comically. "Oh?"

Nicole continued. "Indeed. I know you like to infuse a lot of fiction into your stories, and there isn't going to be a lot of time to investigate this issue. The desire to make up details is going to be increased. Mr. Potter has enough of a problem with people thinking he's making up stories. We need you to stick to the known facts. If you make speculations, you must clearly indicate that they belong to you and not Mr. Potter. We have provided quotes directly from Mr. Potter explaining the events of the attack, as well as the circumstancing surrounding his original charge of unerage sorcery. You are to print them as is. No embellishing. If you can agree to these terms then we will leave this documentation with you. If you can't, we'll go to the Quibbler. It's your decision."

Her face soured momentarily, but she masked her displeasure quickly. "Very well, Miss. I agree to your terms."

"Excellent." I stated. "I have another proposition for you."

She eagerly nodded for me to continue. Edward and Nic looked at me nervously. They were unsure about this part, but I refuse to hide away for the rest of my life out of fear for the snake faced git. "I am going to reveal my identity to you; however, you will not publish the source for the information we've provided. My name will be in no way mentioned in your article. If you out me, I'll out you."

She looked at me curiously at that. "What do you mean you'll out me, Miss?"

I smirked at her. "Oh don't play coy with me Miss Skeeter. You and I both know that you are an unregistered animagus." Her eyes widened in shock, causing the three of us to snicker.

"How? How do you know that?" She stammered.

"Its' a funny story, actually. Tell me, is it safe to reveal myself to you? Do you promise to keep my identity a secret?"

The blonde nodded her head dumbly, and I replaced my glamour with glamour that merely reverted my vampiric qualities back into my human visage. Rita just smirked at me. "Well hello, Miss Black."

I smirked back at her. "Miss Skeeter. Now, as to how we figured out your secret. We were discussing some of your rather defamatory articles a few months ago, fuming about how you could have possibly overheard certain private conversations." She smirked smugly at this. "Harley made an offhand remark about how we should check for bugs." Skeeter cocked her head curiously, unfamiliar with the muggle phrasing. "A bug is a recording device that muggles plant in order to spy on private conversations." I explained. "Anyway, the statement caused Hermione to make a connection. She'd seen a beetle a few times throughout the tournament when it wasn't the season for them. She's a very bright witch, and put the pieces together easily."

Skeeter looked begrudgingly impressed by Hermione's deductive reasoning skills. "Now, I believe the penalty for neglecting to register your animagus status is 2 years in Azkaban, worse if you use your ability as a means to spy." Skeeter gulped audibly at my highly hypocritical pronouncement, and I could feel Nic and Edward's amusement radiating in waves. "So, as long as you keep any discussion we have private, I won't feel compelled to out your little secret." It was my turn to smile smugly.

She nodded her head curtly. "Very well, Miss Black. Now, you said you had another proposition for me?"

"Indeed. My father and I will be accompanying Harry to his trial tomorrow. The owls usually arrive around 8:00 AM with the morning paper. We'll be heading to the Ministry around 7:30 AM to ensure that we have plenty of time to intercept any issues that may arise upon our arrival. I propose that you meet us here tomorrow morning at 7:15 so that we can pick up our paper early and then you can accompany us to the trial in your animagus form. You can hide yourself under my hair. My associates and I have figured out how to take a picture within a pensieve memory, so after the trial you can inform me of any visual backup you require. You can see from the photos provided of the Dementor incident that the quality is uncompromised."

I never thought I'd see the day where Rita Skeeter sat speechlessly gawking. I honestly wish it was a sight that I'd never had to see. The expression looked wrong on her features. She finally pulled herself together and began to nod fiercely. "I agree to your proposition. I would also like you to show me this method of taking photographs within a pensieve." Her tone brokered no argument. Like it was already decided, just because she said so.

I snorted. "Not a chance, Skeeter. If, in the future, you have memories from which you'd like to pull photos you can contact one of the Salem witches present at the TWT. We are all capable of the task. Insofar as you've obtained the memory without spying as a beetle, or the story is necessary for the benefit of the Light, we will process the photos for you. For a price."

Nicole and Edward snickered at the Rita's sour face. No way in hell was I going to be the person that enabled Rita Skeeter to take pictures within a memory. It was very difficult to create the camera. I figure that if others hadn't figured it out by now, we weren't in any danger of losing our monopoly on the ability any time soon. We couldn't have possibly been the first to see the benefits.

With our business concluded I replaced my original glamour and Nicole, Edward and I took our leave. We immediately apparated back to Number Twelve and were greeted by three anxious faces. "How'd it go?" Daddy asked. He was very against me revealing my identity to Skeeter and joining them at the trial. We had decided to try and make Voldemort believe that I was still human. He saw that I was bitten, sure, but there are ways to remove the venom from a person's blood stream. I happened to be too far gone by the time they were able to tend to me, but Voldemort could very well believe they'd been able to reverse the process.

"It was fine, Daddy. We'll meet Rita tomorrow at 7:15."

He nodded grimly and pulled me into a hug. "I wish you'd reconsider joining us tomorrow, Princess. Harry and I would be fine without parading you around. Voldemort might still be set on collecting you."

"Honestly, Daddy. I'm going to be fine. Harry is my brother. I am going to be there for him when he needs me. He'd do the same for me."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I would Bella, but it's not necessary that you come. I appreciate that you're willing to, but I don't want you to be in danger because of me."

"I'm not in danger because of you, Harry. I really don't see how I'm in danger at all. I'm rather durable, you know. If I _was_ in danger, it would be because of Voldemort, not you." I am so sick of Harry blaming himself for everything. None of it is his fault, but he never sees that.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Bella."

I rolled my eyes back at him. "That you are a hopeless emo kid who insists on brooding about how other people's actions, over which you have zero control, are inexplicably your fault?"

He narrowed his eyes, annoyed, causing me to burst out laughing. The others joined in and after a few moments Harry begrudgingly joined in. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, chuckles."

Our banter turned more lighthearted as we put the worries of the trial away until tomorrow. Kreacher again proved his desire to be a good elf by preparing a delicious dinner for Nicole, Harry and Sirius. He even set out three goblets of blood for the vampires, which was rather surprising. "Kreacher, where did you get this blood?"

"It is dragon's blood, Mistress. There are many crates of various types of blood stored in stasis in the first basement. Master Orion and Mistress Walburga used the blood for various rituals and potions. Kreacher thought Mistress and her vampires may enjoy a meal with the others."

I smiled beatifically at his thoughtfulness. "That was very sweet, Kreacher. Thank you!"

He bowed stoically, but I could feel his pleasure at the praise. "If it would please Mistress, Kreacher can serve Mistress and Mistress' vampires the various types of blood available for purchase and keep a stock on hand of the preferable species."

Kate and Edward beamed. While I know they will want to hunt from time to time for pleasure, knowing that we will be able to enjoy sustenance with our human companions is a very nice thought. It reminded me of my earlier idea of finding a way to enjoy human food again. "That sounds wonderful, Kreacher. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, and for being such a good elf."

The creature couldn't hold back his grin this time and bowed quickly before apparating away. "It's really amazing how you've turned his attitude around, Princess. I was considering adding his head to the wall before you came back."

I scowled at my father playfully. "Well, I'm glad that you didn't do that. Maybe if you'd treated him a bit better he wouldn't have been so hateful towards you."

"I don't think that's it. You helping him destroy the locket is what turned around his attitude. I'm glad for it, though. He's a pretty good cook." He smirked roguishly at me, and I just rolled my eyes in return.

Edward and Kate were eying their goblets apprehensively. I just shrugged and brought it to my lips. It smelled appetizing enough. They watched my face keenly as I took my first sip. My eyes fluttered a bit in pleasure. "That's the best thing I've ever tasted!"

Upon seeing my reaction Kate and Edward eagerly tried their own goblet. They both had similar reactions to their first taste. Edward sighed in pleasure. "Definitely better than mountain lion."

We all nodded our heads in agreement. "Rosalie is going to be so thrilled that she never has to go hunting again," Edward added.

After everyone finished Edward challenged Daddy to a game of wizard's chess. Daddy agreed and the two of them headed off to the drawing room, leaving the rest of us to chat in the kitchen. When they reached the drawing room, I heard Edward ask Daddy to place a silencing spell on the room. I wonder what that's all about. I decided not to listen in to Edward's conversation through my mind reading ability, leaving the men to bond.

Turning my attention back to the others, I brought up my idea about the taste potion. "Guys, I was thinking about whether or not it was possible to create a potion that would allow a vampire to regain their human taste buds. I know it wouldn't be permanent, nor should it lest we detest drinking the blood we actually need. It would be ideal for a single dose to last about two or three hours. I miss chocolate already and I haven't even been a vampire for a whole month." I may have pouted a bit at the end.

Harry knew he was out of his depth for this conversation. "I'm just going to go watch Edward destroy Sirius at chess."

We all chuckled. Daddy was a fairly competent Occlumens, so Edward won't be able to cheat by reading his mind, but a human could never stand a chance against a vampire's intellect. It's just not possible.

After Harry left Nicole, Kate and I started delving into the idea. Kate was intrigued but skeptical. "I don't know, Bella. It would be nice in that we could integrate easier into society if we could eat with humans, but there is no way that we'd ever be able to digest it."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. "Yeah, I thought about that, too. We'd definitely have to regurgitate later." I ignored Nicole's sour face at that proclamation. "However, since we don't have any stomach acid to mix with the food while it sits in our stomachs, as long as we expelled the meal before the potion wore off, it would taste just as good coming out as it did going in."

Nicole audibly voiced her disgust at that statement. "That's so gross, Bella!"

"Whatever, Nicole. Imagine a life without spaghetti. You'd be willing to throw it back up, too."

She reluctantly agreed, but Kate had further concerns. "The potion would also have to affect our sense of smell. Human food smells completely unappealing."

Nicole responded this time, eager to help my plight to enjoy spaghetti once more. "There are other potions already invented which can alter your sense of taste. They're mostly used on children to get them to eat their vegetables. Because the two senses are connected so strongly, the potions also affect the way a food smells to the drinker."

"Exactly. I figured we could study the components and processes of the various taste altering potions already in existence and then try and figure out what alterations need to be made in order to create the effect we want on a vampire. I think that my venom will be a key ingredient in any potion we invent for vampires. As long as the potion isn't designed to be permanent, the venom won't make it so, but it will give our bodies the ability to accept the temporary effect we're hoping to achieve."

Nicole nodded her head thoughtfully. "While we're looking at altering potions, why don't we look at the Wolfsbane potion as well? See if we can't figure out how to cure the disease all together. We've gotten to know Remus pretty well, and I'd love to be able to free him from his disease."

"Excellent idea, Nic. I can't believe I never even considered that." I felt guilty that I hadn't even considered looking into a way to cure lycanthropy. I cared more about figuring out a way to eat chocolate than I did about Uncle Remy.

Nicole knew me well enough to predict my inner musings. She smirked playfully at me. "Don't be so down on yourself, Bella. You've gone through quite a lot in the last few weeks. Besides, I think Remus would consider the ability to consume chocolate an exceedingly important issue."

I smiled gratefully back at her. Remy does love his chocolate. "You're probably right."

Nicole nodded in agreement and we began discussing the properties of the potion with Kate. She asked a lot of good questions that got Nicole and I thinking about the problem from angles we might not have otherwise considered. We were still discussing the issue when the shopping group came trouping in.

The vampires looked transcendent. They'd obviously had a pleasurable shopping experience and were exceedingly happy about their purchases. Sammie and Harley looked harassed, with annoyed expressions on their faces.

Harley huffed and sat down next to Nicole, slumping into her side. "I'm NEVER going shopping with a vampire again! They're relentless! Every time we suggested that we had enough purchases for ONE DAY they'd just scoff and drag us off somewhere else. Honestly, they probably got everything they needed to renovate the entire bloody house. Do they think the stores are going to disappear or something?"

Sammie sat down next to me during Harley's rant and proceeded to hide herself behind me. She was nodding her head in agreement. "Please, Bella. Don't let them take me again! Especially the little pixie! Protect me from that fiend!"

Everyone else chuckled at their antics, but I was sympathetic. Especially where Alice is concerned. The girl doesn't do anything by halves. "I'm so sorry, guys. But better you than me." They both glared at me playfully. "Did they at least let you stop to eat?"

I was answered by the loud groan of Harley's stomach, voicing her complaints. She laughed and shook her head. "They offered, but we just wanted to be done. We didn't want to have to stop and then go back to shopping. We didn't realize they were going to keep us out this late, though."

When she finished speaking, Kreacher apparated into the room with sandwiches for Sammie and Harley and goblets of dragon's blood for the returning vampires. I beamed at him. "Thank you Kreacher!"

The vampires who'd yet to try the dragon's blood eyed the goblets just as skeptically as Edward and Kate had. Kate encouraged them to try it. "The taste is unlike anything I've ever tried. You'll love it, I promise!"

The others, buoyed by Kate's enthusiastic praise, raised their goblets and took a sip in unison. Their reactions were much the same as ours. There was a lot moaning and fluttering of the eyes as they enjoyed their first taste of the blood from a magical creature.

"Kreacher said there are many types of blood in stores here. He'll be providing the various types for sampling, and when we've tried them all he'll be keeping stock of the varieties we prefer." Kate informed.

The vampires hummed in appreciation, excited to have new dietary delights introduced after so many decades or centuries of existence. The rest of the evening was spent filling the shoppers in on all the events that had taken place while they were away. Edward, Daddy and Harry rejoined the group during the discussions and everyone was shocked to learn about the Horcruxes and the trial.

It was just before midnight when the humans trudged up the stairs for the night. We had an early morning, so I gave Harry a half dose of the dreamless sleep potion. Between tomorrow's article and the trial, I could feel his anxiety overwhelming him. He could hide it from the others, but not me and Jasper. The potion would allow him to fall asleep peacefully, and the dosage ensured he'd wake up alert in the morning. The last thing we needed was residual effects of a sleeping potion slowing him down tomorrow.

The vampires were eager to start on the basement/quidditch pitch. They were all excited to play their first game. I thought the other rooms would be more practical to start first, but they wouldn't hear of it. "Bells, there is going to be a lot of stress in this house with the return of Voldemort. Everyone will need a place to unwind. Plus, don't you think Harry would enjoy a nice pick-up game tomorrow after the trial?"

Emmett tried to bat his eyelashes innocently, but the look doesn't really suit him. He did have a point, though, so I relented. In the next six hours thirteen vampires turned an old musty dungeon into an open airy oasis. The landscaping still needed to be planned out, but everything else was perfect.

I left the vampires to admire their work and try out the pitch while I went to wake Harry and Daddy. We had quite a day ahead of us.

A/N:

First I need to thank my lovely reviewers!

mimic121, Sakura Ichigo Morihiko, jafr86, XxHelixRiderxX, vivx-chan, Madeline Cullen, deathgeonus, AflawInCourage, Angel JJK, lunarwing and DreamerHorse

You guys rock my socks! Thank you for your encouraging words and for understanding!

Alright, I will be keeping the coulpes canon in this fic. No one voted for mixing it up, so we'll stick with the originals.

Now, there will be one more chapter on the summer and then it's back to Hogwarts! Let me know what you think! Reviews make me do a happy dance! :)


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N**

**I had to write Rita's article in this chapter. Now, journalist, I am not. Just throwing that out there. Another warning, I'm not a big fan of Molly Weasely. I think she is overbearing and bossy, and that she should mind her own business. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Twilight. I used some quotes directly from the book and movie in this chapter, so I just wanted to remind everyone again that I own nothing. :)**

_Previously:_

_I left the vampires to admire their work and try out the pitch while I went to wake Harry and Daddy. We had quite a day ahead of us._

Chapter Twenty:

After waking the boys I made my way to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. I wanted to do something nice for them this morning. I decided to make them steak and eggs. Kreacher interrupted me as I was cooking.

"Kreacher will cook breakfast, Mistress. Mistress doesn't have to do it."

I smiled down at him. "It's okay, Kreacher. I never had a house elf growing up and did a lot of cooking. My adoptive parents are both disasters in the kitchen. I have actually grown to enjoy it, and I wanted to do something special for Harry today."

He still looked unsure, and I could feel his shame. I sighed and looked down at his dejected form. "Kreacher, I am not cooking because I don't think you would do a good job. I know you'd do a brilliant job at it. It's just that, sometimes, I like to show my appreciation for someone by putting in my own effort. Harry is going to have a stressful day, so I want to show him that I care by doing something nice for him. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Mistress," he responded, although he did not seem to have accepted this at all.

I smiled down at him. "Besides, when you don't have to sleep you have to find things to keep you busy. I'm only making enough for Daddy and Harry. You'll be able to make breakfast for the others." He perked up on hearing that he'd be cooking for the other human inhabitants before bowing and apparating away.

After finishing with the cooking, I plated the food and set the table. The two hungry men entered the room as I was finishing up.

"This looks amazing, Bells. Thanks!" Harry complimented before stuffing his face. Daddy agreed and did the same. I smiled at their eagerness and sat down to join them.

"What safety precautions did Dumbledore speak to you about, Daddy?"

"Well, he wants us to travel by non-magical means. Expects us to take the tube, he does." Daddy snorted at this. "Yeah, that's not happening, but I'm letting him believe we are following his instructions. Makes him feel better, I think. He's also given Harry a password activated emergency portkey. Dumbledore has no idea we'll be visiting The Daily Profit offices before making our way to the Ministry, of course." He smirked at this. I think Daddy enjoys defying Dumbledore's directives. Sticking it to the man and all that.

Harry and I smiled at his mischievousness. I wonder how long it will take Dumbledore to realize that you don't give orders to a Marauder. First generation or second.

"So, we'll glamour ourselves before going to pick up Rita then walk over to The Leaky Cauldron. We can floo to the Ministry from there."

"Sounds good. I'm going to go get ready." I made my way up to shower and get myself prepared for my first public debut as Isabella Black.

After convincing Edward to let me go, Harry, Daddy and I glamoured our appearances and apparated to Diagon Alley. We immediately made our way over to The Daily Profit offices where Skeeter was waiting to greet us. The boys removed their glamour while I replaced mine with my human appearance. We decided to cover our faces with our cloaks' hoods for the short walk to The Leaky Cauldron. We didn't want people to realize we were walking around in glamour, because then every unknown face would be a suspected Harry Potter.

I took point with Rita. "Hello Miss Skeeter. We'll be flooing from The Leaky Cauldron in case anyone tries to retrace our entry point into the Ministry. We don't want anyone making the connection to you."

She seemed to agree with this. She handed us three copies of the paper before morphing into a beetle and settling in under my hair. I had placed a warming and cushioning charm over myself so that she wouldn't notice the inhuman changes in me. We flipped our hoods and began our walk over to The Leaky Cauldron.

The Alley was deserted, so we had no problems making our way to our destination. There were a few patrons eating breakfast in the Cauldron, but we were wholly ignored. Daddy went through the floo first, followed by Harry then me.

Upon entering the Ministry atrium we lowered our hoods. There weren't very many people present as of yet. We easily made our way to the security desk to retrieve our visitor's badges.

The security wizard didn't even look up upon our approach. "Name and purpose, please?"

Daddy filled his role as Lord Black, answering for our entire party. "Lord Black, Isabella Black and Harry Potter here for the trial of Harry Potter."

This caught the guard's attention and his head quickly darted up to see the three most talked about people in the wizarding world. "Of course, Lord Black. I will need to check in your wands."

We all handed the security wizard our wands and he proceeded to weigh them in. Handing them back to us he stated, "You will be in Courtroom 10. The trial begins at 8:00 AM."

All of our eyes widened in shock. "You must be mistaken. The missive that we received stated that the trial began at 8:30 AM. It is now 7:40 and we have received no notice on the change of time, or location for that matter. We were told Courtroom 2."

The security wizard began to look nervous. "I don't know what to tell you, Lord Black. About ten minutes ago I received a memo on the change of venue and time."

Daddy looked livid. I felt bad for the guard. He was telling the truth, and just doing his job. Daddy looked to me. I could see he was opening his shields, so I looked into his thoughts. _Is he telling the truth, Princess? _

I nodded my head infinitesimally, but he understood. He turned back to the guard, still angry, but not at the man in front of him. "Very well. We'll be on our way, then."

We boarded the first available lift, and luckily had it to ourselves. "I can't believe this! They purposefully changed the trial in hopes that Harry would miss it altogether! And they have him in Courtroom 10! That is for full criminal hearings, we're talking full Wizengamot! For a simple case of Underage Sorcery! Can you believe this rubbish?"

I was angry, sure, but I also saw an opportunity. "Daddy, the Prophet doesn't get delivered until 8. The trial starts at 8. That means Fudge won't have been able to read the paper before he starts this farce of a trial. He's going to look like a complete fool! I say we give him just enough rope to hang himself."

I grinned slyly and the others followed suit. Even Rita flew from my shoulder to do a little victory lap around the lift. "I take it you approve, Rita." She made another lap around our heads in agreement before burying herself under my hair once again.

Just as she got settled our lift came to an abrupt halt. We made our way down the hall and settled into a private alcove just passed the courtroom. I cast a notice-me-not charm around our group and we quickly pulled the papers out of our robes to read the article before the trial.

_Who Will Save Your Soul?_

_By Rita Skeeter_

_Imagine yourself out for a leisurely stroll on a warm summer evening. There is a comforting breeze drifting through the air, and the sounds of summer can be heard all around. Crickets chirping and children laughing. Your spirits are lifted by the warm air, sounds and smells of the relaxing summer evening. _

_Now imagine that same comforting breeze changing. It's no longer simply offering a cool escape from the heat of summer. Now it's filling you with fear, freezing you from the inside out. You can no longer hear the children laughing or the crickets chirping, and all the light seems to have gone out of the world. All you can hear are your worst memories, plaguing your conscience. There's no joy, no warmth, all you're left with is cold, dark dread._

_You pull your wand, trying to light your way. Trying to bring back the feeling of peace that was so cruelly ripped from your mind, but not even a Lumos offer an escape from the darkness. Suddenly you are gripped by a monster that most will never have the misfortune to face. It's a Dementor, and it's here for your soul. You dig deep, trying to connect with the happiness you were feeling moments before, but coming up empty. You must do something. You must save your soul._

_Finally, through some base instinct to survive your mind connects with a happy memory. You put all your will into your magic and speak the only words that can save you in that moment. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

_A brilliant white stag erupts from your wand and sends the demon away, but there's another in the vicinity. Some poor defenseless muggle had the misfortune of enjoying his own walk on this night. So you send your stag to the other Dementor, chasing him away before he can claim another soul._

_Now, imagine you weren't the target of the Dementors, but your underage child. By some miracle your child was capable of producing a fully corporeal Patronus and was able to save both his and the stranger's soul._

_Finally, I'd like you to imagine receiving a notice from your Ministry that your child would have his wand snapped for performing Underage Sorcery and violating the Secrecy act. _

_I imagine that you'd be outraged. Well, that is exactly what happened to Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, Wednesday evening._

_After defeating the Dementors who attacked him in a muggle suburb, Harry Potter received the following notice from the Ministry:_

"Dear Mr. Potter, We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past six this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle. The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling on your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 8:30 A.M. on July 12th in Courtroom 2. Hoping you are well, Yours sincerely, Malfalda Hopkirk"

_Harry Potter was expelled from Hogwarts and was to have his wand snapped without so much as a trial. Mr. Potter had the following comments on the situation, "I was really scared when I realized what was happening. I knew that I wasn't allowed to do magic outside of school, but I didn't know what else to do. I was alone, and the Dementor had already lowered his hood and was closing in on my face. It was either use magic or lose my soul. It wasn't a choice, really."_

_It is the opinion of this reporter that you'd have a hard time finding someone outside the Ministry who would disagree. Luckily, Headmaster Dumbledore, and Chief Warlock to the Wizengamot, was able to have all charges and punishments addressed at the hearing, staving off his expulsion and wand snapping until that time._

_Mr. Potter also had this to say about his first accusation of Underage Sorcery, "It was right before my second year. Everyone knows what happened at Hogwarts that year [The opening of the Chamber of Secrets]. Well, there was a house elf that knew of the dangers heading to the school, so he tried to convince me not to return. He even went so far as to use the Hover Charm in my house to get me kicked out of school. I would have happily informed the Ministry about what occurred, but they never questioned me on it. They just gave me a warning."_

_It is of the opinion of this author that expulsion from the wizarding world is quite an extreme punishment for the simple issue of Underage Sorcery. Especially when the two charms in question are the Patronus and Hover Charms._

_My readers are well aware of Mr. Potter's claims after the TriWizard Tournament. The Ministry has maintained that Potter is just seeking attention, a claim that this paper has supported. In light of recent events, one has to wonder. Why were Dementors sent after young Harry? Who sent them, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is indeed dead? Why the harsh punishment? Are they trying to shut Mr. Potter out of the wizarding world in order to simply shut him up? This reporter would like the answers to these questions. All I know for sure is that if I ever found myself attacked by Dementors, I'd want Mr. Potter around to save my soul._

I let out a low whistle when I finished and waited for Harry and Daddy to finish as well. They both looked up simultaneously and smirked. "Good work, Skeeter." Daddy complimented.

Harry nodded in agreement. "I agree. Having the pictures to accompany the article really makes a powerful statement."

We all nodded in agreement, and I'm sure Rita would have preened in pleasure if she were in her human form. We had about five minutes before the trial was set to start, so I cancelled the notice-me-not and we made our way into Courtroom 10.

It was fairly obvious when we walked through the door that Fudge was displeased by our presence. He greeted my father frostily. "Lord Black."

"Minister Fudge," Daddy responded equally cold.

I looked around the room and didn't see anyone with newspapers. Excellent.

"Mr. Potter will be sitting there." He pointed to a chair in the middle of the room that had chains for strapping in the accused.

"That can't possibly be necessary. If you are so worried that Harry will respond with magic, I'll take his wand during the proceeding." Daddy was pissed. I was too, but had to bite my tongue. British wizarding society dictates that I have to defer to my Head of House, which is Lord Black. He is the one who speaks for our family in these types of situations.

"Hem Hem. Lord Black, it is standard procedure for the accused to sit in that chair." This came from a toad-like woman in pink. Lots and lots of pink.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yes, it is." She responded in a sickly sweet voice.

"Tell me, is it also standard procedure for a fourteen year old boy to be charged before the full Wizengamot in the simple matter of Underage Sorcery?" Daddy responded in a sickly sweet voice that mimicked the toad's quite efficiently.

The Toad scowled and was about to respond, but I cut her off. I addressed my father, and not the officials, so as not to break protocols. "Father, I'm just grateful that we live in a country that provides due process. I've heard that in some places, they lock people up without a proper trial. Can you imagine the injustice? Perhaps they are just trying to make sure that Harry's case is well and truly heard. You know. For the sake of justice."

I fixed my features into a sickeningly innocent expression, blinking at Daddy earnestly. It was very difficult to keep my features schooled as the amusement pouring out of Harry and Daddy was nearly overwhelming. Daddy managed to keep his expression neutral with just a slight twitch at the corners of his mouth. Harry didn't have the same skills. He started coughing violently in an attempt to cover his laughter. I very poor attempt, might I add.

The disturbing reality that my father received no trial for the charge of murder, yet Harry is sitting before the entirety of the Wizengamot for such a simple charge was lost on no one, and the tension of the room increased dramatically. Having seen the members of the Wizengamot well and truly dressed down, Harry happily sat in the horrible chair. Luckily the chains didn't move to tie him down.

When he saw that Harry would not be strapped to the chair, Daddy begrudgingly gave up his argument and took a seat. I followed suit, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "This will just make him look even worse, Daddy. Can you imagine the public response to having a fourteen year old boy sit in a chair developed for the likes of our dear cousin Bellatrix?"

Daddy smiled and winked at me. "Too right you are, Princess. And might I say that was an excellent performance?" He snickered at that and leaned in to kiss my cheek.

We turned our attention back to the room as Fudge read the charges and began firing questions at Harry.

"Do you deny producing the Patronus?"

"No, but – "

"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside of school while under the age of seventeen?"

"Yes, of course, but – "

"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot – "

"I was only doing it because of the Dementors!"

"Dementors, in Little Whinging?" This was from Amelia Bones, Director of the DMLE.

"That's very clever. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they, boy? Highly convenient."

"I'm not lying! There were two of them, and if I hadn't – "

The Minister held up his hand to silence Harry. "Now, I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story, but since you can produce no witnesses of the event – "

Daddy interrupted the Minister this time. "Actually, Minister, we do have a witness. Isabella was going to retrieve Harry when the attack happened. She saw the Dementors."

The attention of the Wizengamot was now on me. Madame Bones asked the first question. "Please describe the attack. What did they look like?"

"Well, one was very large, and the other rather skinny." I internally snickered at the annoyed look on Fudge's face.

"Not the boys, the Dementors." He clarified testily.

"Ah. Well, they looked like Dementors, Minsiter. I think we all know what they look like. Creepy, flying around in their black cloaks while sucking the happiness and warmth out of everything around them. I arrived just in time to see Harry's Patronus chasing them away."

"Dementors don't just wonder into a muggle suburb and happen across a wizard, the odds are astonomical." Fudge commented.

"I don't believe anyone would believe that the Dementors were there by coincidence, Minister."

"Hem Hem. I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Lord Black. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. So silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though you were insinuating that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy." Again from the Toad Lady. I smirked triumphantly. She just dug the Ministry into a hole with that statement.

"That would be disturbing, indeed, Madame Undersecretary. Which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full scale enquiry into why the Dementors were so far from Azkaban, and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone who might be behind the attack."

Fudge's face started shaking with rage. "He is not back!"

Daddy sighed resignedly. "In the matter of Harry Potter, the law clearly states that magic may be used before muggles in life threatening situations."

"Hem Hem. I remain unconvinced that there were Dementors in Little Whinging. Is there any further proof you can provide?"

Daddy didn't seem to appreciate the comment, and I can feel the rage rolling off him. "Are you calling my daughter a liar, Madame Undersecretary?" His voice was deathly calm, causing Harry to shiver a bit. The Toad seemed unaffected.

"I mean no offence, Lord Black, but it is well known that Miss Black is very protective of Mr. Potter." She gave him a simpering smile.

"It's okay, Father. I actually do have further evidence to provide with my testimony, Madame Undersecretary." I pulled my useless wand and the morning paper from my robes and levitated it. Then I enlarged it so that everyone could see the photographic evidence.

"As you can see by the photos that were printed in the morning's Daily Prophet, Harry is speaking the truth, as he always does. Shame you moved the trial up, Minister. Perhaps if it had remained at its original time you would have had a chance to read the paper and we could have avoided this whole ordeal." I schooled my features into a look of mock regret.

The looks of shock and outrage on the faces of Fudge and The Toad were priceless. I'd actually pay Skeeter to make sure those make it into tomorrow's paper.

As the Minister was shocked into speechlessness, Madame Bones took over the proceedings. "All in favor of dismissing the charges, raise your hand." Almost the every member raised their hands, sans Malfoy, Toad, Fudge and a few others.

"All against?" Even though there were a few who didn't vote to dismiss, no one voted against it.

Madame Bones looked to Harry. "You're free to go Mr. Potter."

"So I'm not expelled, either?" He asked hopefully.

"No, Mr. Potter. The charges have been thrown out completely."

Harry smiled and gave me a hug before doing the same with Daddy. We exited to the courtroom and made our way back up to the lobby, passed the security check point. As discussed, I informed the others that I needed the ladies room before heading home.

I walked through the door and made sure it was empty before magically sealing the room. Rita flew off my shoulder and changed back into her human form. She was wearing a frighteningly pleased expression. She pulled two vials from her robes and began filling them with memories. "I want you to bring me photographs of these memories."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. After removing my charms on the room we each left the loo and went our separate ways.

We couldn't floo directly to Number Twelve, as only certain fireplaces are authorized to access the house. The Weasleys allowed us to use The Burrow as a thoroughfare. We were immediately surrounded by red-heads as soon as we stepped through.

Everyone was eager to hear about what happened, so we invited them back to Grimmauld for lunch. We didn't want to have to tell the entire tale twice, and The Burrow wasn't exactly big enough for 15 more people. They agreed and followed us back to Number Twelve.

"I'm going apparate to Hermione's and see if she wants to join us." Everyone nodded and I quickly landed in Hermione's back yard. She opened the back door upon my knock and seemed _very_ surprised to see me. She paused for a minute to take in my human looking features before launching herself at me, hugging me as fiercely as she could.

"What are you doing here, Bella? What's going on with Harry? I read about what happened in the paper this morning! Oh it's so awful! Can you believe those horrible Dementors went after him again? And you, you look…well, like you! What's happening?" She managed to expel all of these words in one breath with her voice rising higher and higher.

I laughed at her exuberance. "Wow, that is a lot of questions. We just got finished with the trial and the Weasleys are joining us at Number Twelve to go over everything that happened. I wanted to see if you'd like to join us."

She beamed at me. "Thanks for thinking of me, Bella! I'd love to come. My parents just got home for their lunch break, so let me go tell them." She turned to run back inside.

"Hey, Hermione, hold up. I actually wanted to talk to you about your parents." She looked at me confusedly. "Last night the vampires and I were discussing the safety of my adoptive parents and the wolf pack. I'm worried that with me being a potential target to Voldemort, he'll go after them. The Cullens said we could put their Forks house under the Fidelius. We're going to be making password activated portkeys for Charlie, Renee, Phil, the pack and their families that will take them directly to the Cullen house if they are targeted. Lord knows the wolves won't use them if the Death Eaters are attacking others, and I can't stop them, but if they get captured, they'll be able to escape. Anyway, I wanted to make one for each of your parents as well. You being besties with Harry Potter could make them a target. I figured we could turn their wedding rings into the portkeys. What do you think?"

The relief and joy that crossed her features gave me my answer, and I was soon engulfed in another hug by the bushy haired witch. "Let's go speak to them about it and then we'll head over to Number Twelve."

Hermione nodded in agreement and led me into her house. She introduced me to her parents and explained about the portkeys. They agreed to the precaution and we said our goodbyes before I apparated Hermione back home where we saw that Remus had also stopped by.

When we arived, Kreacher was zooming around the kitchen, ecstatic to have so many people to feed. By the looks of things he was preparing a veritable feast. Hermione and the Weasleys were very surprised by his change of attitude.

We filled everyone in on the goings on of the last few days, excluding the Horcrux ordeal. Everyone was shocked about the Dementor attack, and upset that the Ministry tried to prosecute Harry for protecting himself and his cousin. Fred and George were suitably impressed with how we handled the whole situation. They were looking forward to seeing the pictures of Fudge and The Toad when the memories were developed.

The vampires were eager to show off the basement after lunch. While they took everyone down to start up a quick game, The Skirts and I went upstairs to photograph and develop the pictures from Rita's memories.

The first memory she provided was of a menacing Fudge questioning Harry. He looked so small in that horrible chair surrounded by the entire Wizengamont. The picture didn't have sound, of course, but you could see that every time Harry tried to speak he was cut off by Fudge. It _really_ painted the Minister in a bad light.

The second memory was of me revealing the morning paper. We made sure to get good shots of Fudge's and The Toad's reactions. They both went from shock to outrage. Taking a second look at The Toad's reaction especially peaked my curiosity. She ended up looking a bit like someone ran over her puppy. I wonder what that's about. I wish she wasn't a practicing Occlumens. I probably could've broken through her shields, but she'd be able to feel it. It's quite illegal to perform Legilimency without proper approvals.

I sent the photos with Caelen along with a note informing her that she'd have to send any memories or messages through Dumbledore, as unauthorized owls aren't able to access my location.

With that business taken care of, the girls and I joined the others in the basement. We were greeted by a lot of laughter and cheers. The vampires and some human spectators were in the stands, which really amounted to high platforms with comfortable sofas on top.

They were watching Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Daddy, Remus and Arthur. Because there were only 8 of them, they were playing without Beaters and only two Chasers. When Nik and Harley arrived they decided to pit the five singles versus the Weasley brood.

Sammie and I made our way up the stands to sit with the spectators. Kate didn't take her eyes off Daddy for one second. She wasn't even blinking. Her entire body was poised and ready for action, as if prepared to jump to the ground and catch my Dad the moment he inevitably fell off his broom.

I snorted loudly drawing everyone's attention. Well, everyone but Kate. Edward smiled as I joined him on his lap. "What's so amusing?"

I smiled and looked over at Kate. "He's not going to fall, Kate. You don't have to be prepared every moment to rescue him from his death. The man's a natural flyer. In fact, he'll probably be offended if he sees that you're so worried for him. Besides, even if he did fall, the cushioning charm on the ground would be a much softer landing than your arms." I snickered into Edward's chest and everyone else chuckled as well.

Kate even broke her stare and looked over at me sheepishly. "I know you're right Bella, it's just so hard to watch him flying around like that. I can't help but worry."

I just chuckled some more. Vampires always think humans are completely helpless. They're not as fragile as they look, though. Growing up in the magical world has shown me that. After seeing some of the injuries that occur on a daily basis I know that the human body can endure a lot. At least a magical one.

"So did you guys try out the pitch, yet?"

They all nodded. Emmett filled me in on the details. "Honestly, Bells, the game doesn't really suit vampires the way humans play. Searching for the snitch is a waste. It only takes us a few seconds to find it. Also, we do more damage to the Bludgers than they do to us. Where we can really have some fun is with the Chaser and Keeper positions. We decided that vampires will play four to a team, leaving out the Seeker and Beater positions. We will just have a time limit to end the game as opposed to it ending when the Snitch is caught. It's wicked fun to watch the humans play, though. We have _got_ to go see a professional game soon!"

I nodded happily and looked over to the pool area. We still had to ask Neville's Gran if he could be allowed to spend time here this summer with the excuse of helping Harley to landscape the area. Harley didn't really need the assistance, but I wanted to give Neville a chance to be around kids his age over the holiday. I got the impression that he didn't really have too many solid friends. It is a shame since he was one of the only people who were willing to stand by Harry after the Goblet produced his name. He's quite brave and loyal; he just needs a bit of self-confidence. I figured spending some time here this summer might give him a bit of a boost in that regard.

Harley had already bought some trees to make a small forest in the corner, as well as installing a decent sized pasture. Buckbeak was trotting around the pasture merrily, happy to be out of the cramped room upstairs. Aden and Galen were flying around above him, stretching their wings. I could also see Callie and Nani running around through the trees. They were all very happy, and I was glad they had a place they could roam around freely.

I snuggled into Edward and turned my attention back to the game, sighing contentedly.

Everyone stayed for dinner, enjoying another delicious meal provided by the ever happier Kreacher. Afterward Hermione went home, as her family was taking a vacation to France. They were going to be gone two weeks, and then she'd spend the rest of the summer at Grimmauld. I'd told her that we were going to be doing some research on the Wolfsbane and creating a Taste Potion for vampires, and she was anxious to join our efforts.

Daddy also offered to board the Weasley family. He was nervous that they'd be a prime target for Voldemort as their support to The Light, and Harry in particular, was widely known. Also, Peter had lived with their family for 12 years and would be able to provide a great deal of intel on the family. No one wanted to take any chances, and since the Fidelius was over Grimmauld, it really was the safest place.

It also made for a loud and boisterous house, which thrilled the vampires. They'd lived their lives in the shadows for so many years, but now they were able to come into the light. The renovations were also coming along at a frightening pace. Once the basement was complete, the other rooms were a breeze. Between magic and vampire speed, we were getting done at least two rooms per night, and the whole house would be complete by Harry's birthday. All the vampires were determined to turn this old house into a warm, inviting home. It was their way of thanking the humans, Daddy especially, for being so accepting of them.

The day after the trial was interesting. Skeeter's article created a bit of an uproar at the Ministry. It was absolutely brilliant. The article was basically just a script of the event, from the moment we arrived, finding out about the change of venue/time, to the moment they cleared Harry of all charges. She literally printed everything said publicly, word for word. That includes the exchange between The Toad, who I found out was called Delores Umbridge, Daddy and me. She included her own snarky comments as well, but all in all I had to say the woman earned my forgiveness for all the crap she pulled during the tournament. I still didn't feel comfortable telling her how to take pictures inside a memory, though.

Arthur said Fudge was receiving an outpouring of Howlers. Apparently, even though people still believed Harry was lying about Voldemort, the public wasn't quite ready to throw him to the Dementors. The Ministry was overwhelmed with demands to investigate the incident. In the end, the Ministry claimed to be giving it their best effort, but it was all bollocks. Arthur said Amelia Bones was being given the run around by the Minsiter's office, and that the Dementors themselves wouldn't speak about it. Without receiving an ounce of cooperation from anyone in any other deparmtment, the DMLE's case was over before it started.

Also on the day after the trial, Carlilse, Edward and I took the floo over to the Forks house. I placed the Fidelius over the house, with Edward as the secret keeper. Carlisle had to give consent as the owner of the house for the charm to work. Once his part was complete he took the floo back to Grimmauld. Edward and I took the floo over to Renee's house in Florida to set up their portkeys and tell them the secret of the location. I turned their wedding rings into the portkeys and set the password as "Portus." It would have to be said by the person who was wearing the portkey in order to activate, and would only take that person. None of the people I was providing a portkey would have reason to say the spell in every day conversation. I thought it would be hilarious for a Death Eater to think they've captured a muggle only for the person to mutter the portkey spell and then disappear.

Edward and I stayed with Renee and Phil for a few hours catching up on everything that had happened. It was a lot. We then made our way back to Forks to visit Charlie and the wolves. We stayed with them much longer, catching up and enjoying each other's company. They were very upset at the attacks against Harry, by both the Dementors and The Ministry. While they didn't know him all that well, they were still fond of him. He's rather difficult not to like…Well, if you aren't an evil git intent on taking over the world.

We left Forks with a promise to meet at the Cullen house once a week to spend time together. We realized while we were talking that there wasn't really a reason for us to cut ourselves off from them when we had access to magical travel. Harry could even come since both houses, and by extension both fireplaces, were under the Fidelius. The Ministry wouldn't be able to track it.

When we finally made it back home it was almost the next morning in London. Transcontinental travel…it will get you every time. We had given out all the portkeys, except to the Grangers who would receive theirs when they returned from France.

After a few days, everyone got settled into the house. We spent a fair portion of our days researching, as well as having Occlumency lessons. Occlumency is the art of organizing your mind in such a way that a Legilimens is unable to access your thoughts and memories. As such, it doesn't require magic. I wanted to teach Edward, because I thought it would be a way for him to block out the voices, using his gift in the same way I do. The vampires were also eager to learn the art. They were sick of being open books to Edward. Even though he would be getting a grasp on controlling his ability, they wanted the option to block him in the event that he was feeling nosey.

The only humans in the house without at least a basic knowledge of the skill were the Hogwarts students. They all wanted to learn as well. Edward was part of it, but they also know that both Dumbledore and Snape are skilled Legilimens. It's hard to get away with mischief when your teachers can read your mind. Not to mention that Voldemort's skills are legendary.

Harry was a special case. He was getting visions of Voldemort through some disturbing connection they shared. Sometimes he would have really strange dreams where it was like he was spying on the snake-faced bastard. This was alarming to the extreme, so The Skirts and I took extra care with teaching him the art.

Of course the vampires picked it up very quickly. They had it mastered within days, causing everyone else to scowl at them, including me. It came easier to me than to my girls, but it was still a lot of hard work. However, it was helpful having 12 more instructors, especially Edward, who could help from the viewpoint of a Legilimens.

The vampires were also blowing through the books in the Black Library, focusing heavily on Potions, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. They were also studying the forms of magic that required, well magic. Ron and Harry thought this was silly at first. They didn't understand that all spells and wards are created using a combination of Runes and Arithmancy. With a vampire's ability to retain information and apply principles to a problem, The Light would have an edge in the war. Number 12 was basically a theorist's wet dream. We'd be able to throw things at the Death Eaters that they'd never seen before.

We were also inducted into the Order of the Phoenix. All of the vampires joined, as well at The Skirts and Harry. This was a much contested decision. Molly Weasley was furious. The confrontation that resulted was pretty epic. Merlin, that woman is one pushy interfering witch.

It all started when The Skirts and vampires attended our first meeting. I'd spoken to Daddy ahead of time, and we agreed that Harry had every right to know what was going on in this fight. Whether we liked it or not, he was a part of it. Voldemort, with his unrelenting focus on Harry's demise, was making sure that he had no choice but to see this through. Daddy was Harry's guardian, so he was the one who got to choose whether Harry was allowed to participate. Molly has 5 children of her own that she can block from the meetings; she needs to worry about them. She has no more right to say that Harry can't participate than Daddy has to say that one of her brood can.

When we all sat down for the meeting Molly had glanced over in greeting and saw Harry sitting between me and Daddy. Her children and Hermione were also loitering about the kitchen. "Harry, dear, you need to run along with Ron and the others. Perhaps you can start up a game of Quidditch or take a nice swim?"

"Actually, Molly, Harry will be sitting in on the meetings. He needs to know what is going on in this war." Daddy informed.

Molly immediately rose from her seat and started ranting. "He is just a boy! He does not need to be here for this!"

"It's your decision whether your children can be involved in the meetings," said Daddy calmly, "Harry, on the other hand –"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!' said Molly sharply. The expression on her normally kind face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"

"Which bit?" Daddy asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight.

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Molly. "He's only fourteen and –"

"Almost fifteen, and he's already faced Voldemort four times, Molly. How many times have you faced him?" I asked.

She blanched at Voldemort's name. Heart of a lion, this one. "No one's denying what he's done!" she said, voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still -"

"He's not a child!" said Daddy impatiently.

"He's not an adult either!" said Molly, the color rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!"

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Daddy coldly.

I gasped, surprised that she would go there, and spoke at the same time as Daddy. "How dare you?"

She ignored my indignation and responded to Daddy. "I'm not sure you are!" said Molly. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry.

"What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Molly, her eyes still boring into Daddy. "You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!"

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Daddy, his voice rising.

"Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you -"

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please! He has no authority over me!" said Daddy loudly.

"Arthur!" said Molly, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!"

Arthur did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he reply.

"Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, because he is staying at Headquarters."

"Which is my father's home, in case you've forgotten." I huffed. This woman was about to send me overboard. Jasper was desperately trying to send waves of calm into the group, but with my emotions all over the place, he was having a difficult time of it.

Molly again ignored my input. "Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to sit in on a meeting!"

"Personally," said Remy quietly, looking away from Daddy at last...as Molly turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, "I think it better that Harry gets the facts -not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture - from us, rather than a garbled version from… others."

"Well," said Molly, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, "well… I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has Harry's best interests at heart -"

"He's not your son," said Daddy quietly.

"He's as good as," said Molly fiercely. "Who else has he got?"

"He's got me!"

"Yes," said Molly, her lip curling, "the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?"

Daddy started to rise from his chair, but I was already on her, nose to nose.

"How _dare_ you? He was locked up in Azkaban thinking that his daughter had been murdered. You thought that for a few hours, didn't you, Molly? How did that feel? I know you also know how it feels to have your brother murdered. That also happened to my father, for James Potter was just as much a brother to him as Fabian and Gideon were to you. At least you didn't have the knowledge that the only reason your brothers were murdered was because your best friend betrayed them. You didn't have that hurt to add on to your pile, but maybe you can try to imagine it. What you can _never_ imagine is experiencing all of those things back to back, and then being thrown to the Dementors without a single soul willing to listen to your side of the story. Being locked away in your own personal hell knowing that your godson is out there, alone, and you can't be there for him. No, no one else in the world can possibly imagine how horrific that would be.

"So how _dare_ you come into my father's home, take advantage of his hospitality and protection, and then maliciously use his unjust imprisonment, his torture, against him? Have you forgotten that while he was rotting away in a jail cell you were harboring the real murderer responsible for bringing Voldemort to the Potter's door? So don't you _dare _speak to my father like that ever again. Do you understand me?"

She just stared at me, wide eyed. I could feel three very distinct emotions pouring out of the woman in front of me. The most basic was fear. She had an enraged vampire in her grill, and that is always disconcerting. I was too far gone to even internally snicker at the absurdity of that thought. Most humans facing an enraged vampire would've needed fresh undies. The second emotion was shame. She felt ashamed for using such a cruel, heartless argument against my father. The third emotion battled strongly with the second. She was feeling self-righteous. The witch still thought she was right.

I was still in her face, seething at her inability to back down and admit she was wrong to use that argument, when I felt strong arms wrap around my waist. Edward was pulling me into his embrace and away from the woman in front of me. Jasper then placed himself between us and took my face into his hands, pushing every bit of calm he could muster into my body. Because I share his ability, he had to work for it. I was simply out of my mind with rage. I mean, seriously, how _dare_ she say that to my father?

Eventually Jasper and Edward were able to calm me down enough to think rationally. I was still extremely angry, but was no longer looming over her so threateningly. The idea of physically harming her had never crossed my mind, but I was a few seconds away from hexing the shit out of her.

Edward pulled me back over to my seat, pulling me down into his lap. I was immediately flanked by Daddy and Harry, who each gave me a hug. I could feel Daddy's pride and love pouring out of him, and that brought me down from extremely angry to indignantly pissed. When the others saw that I'd been subdued to an acceptable level of ire, the tension in the room lessened somewhat. However, it was clear by Molly's posture that we still hadn't finished our argument on the matter of Harry attending meetings.

"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Remy sharply. "And that comment was completely out of line."

Molly's lower lip was trembling.

"I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Remy continued, "he's old enough to decide for himself."

"I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once.

He did not look at Molly. I could tell that he had been touched by what she said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient with her mollycoddling. He was also very upset that she threw Daddy's stay in Azkaban in his face.

"And you have a right to, Harry. Keeping you in the dark is not only patronizing, it's dangerous. As much as we may want to keep you out of this, Voldemort won't allow it. He's after you. He's proven it time and again. I don't like it any more than you do, Molly, but it's the way it is."

"Very well," said Molly, her voice cracking. "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George - I want you out of this kitchen, now."

There was instant uproar.

"We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together.

"If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" shouted Ron.

"Mum, I want to hear!" wailed Ginny.

"NO!" shouted Molly, standing up, her eyes overbright. "I absolutely forbid -"

"Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," said Arthur wearily. "They are of age."

"They're still at school."

"But they're legally adults now," said Arthur, in the same tired voice.

Molly was now scarlet in the face.

"I - oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron -"

"Harry'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!" said Ron hotly. "Won't - won't you?" he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's eyes.

"Course I will," Harry said.

Ron and Hermione beamed.

"Fine!" shouted Molly. "Fine! Ginny - BED!"

Ginny did not go quietly. We could hear her raging and storming at her mother all the way up the stairs.

Dumbledore wasn't happy about the extra participants, either. When he arrived he'd also tried to get Harry and the other's to leave, citing that it was his organization. Daddy reminded him that it was his house. I told him that if he wouldn't allow Harry to sit in the meeting I'd just pull the memory afterward and allow him to view it in my pensieve. Dumbledore recognized a lost battle when he saw one, and relented.

The next day Molly had approached me and Daddy to apologize. She admitted that she was out of line, and that she had no right to use Daddy's imprisonment against him. She said that her emotions were just so overwrought trying to protect Harry and she wasn't really thinking about what she was saying. We told her that we understood, that we all wanted to protect Harry. Our argument was that sometimes the only way to protect someone is make sure they are able to protect themselves.

Having mended that relationship and laid the issue to rest, the rest of the summer was a lot less contentious.

We were able to develop the Taste Potion just before Harry's birthday. It was actually Hermione who had the break through. She and Carlisle were discussing the chemistry of the current Taste Potions and the properties that allow the human senses to temporarily shift. She then started asking a lot of questions about the physiology of a vampire body in comparison to a human one. He'd studied them both extensively, of course, and was able to answer all her questions.

He was answering her question about how blood is absorbed and used by a vampire's body when she suddenly she ran off while Carlisle was still in mid-sentence. She finally emerged two days later with a large bottle filled with a clear potion and a huge box of Honeyduke's finest. She asked me for a few drops of venom, adding them to the potion. After the potion turned a pale blue, Hermione beamed and declared the potion ready for consumption.

We'd just need a sip and it would change our perception of taste back to the way it was when we were human, which means I'd still loathe seafood. It's a travesty according to Charlie, but I really just can't stand it. It's like the comedian Jim Gaffigan says, "I'm not a strict vegetarian, I eat beef and pork. And chicken, but not fish cause that's disgusting! How do you know when fish goes bad, it smells like fish either way! 'Oh, this smells like a dumpster, let's eat it!' No one really likes fish, they just don't like to admit it. They're always like, 'I like fish just as long as it doesn't taste like fish.' I got news for ya, I don't think you like fish…Cause I'm almost positive fish is supposed to taste like fish." Heh, I love that guy.

While I was lost in Gaffigan's routine, Hermione excitedly conjured thirteen small paper cups, similar to dixie cups, and put a sip of potion in each one. We passed the potion and the chocolate around to each vampire. I was really the only vampire young enough to distinctly remember the taste of human food. The others said they'd forgotten almost immediately upon waking up. All they were focused on was their need for blood. I didn't have that problem, especially with the potion, and was ready to sink my sharp, lethal teeth into some of Honeyduke's finest.

Everyone seemed to look to me to go first, so I toasted Hermione and then downed the potion. It didn't really taste like anything. After about thirty seconds the smell of the chocolate no longer repulsed me, but made my mouth fill with venom. I brought it to my nose and took a huge whiff. Ah…heaven.

I eagerly brought the chocolate to my lips and bit into the little chunk of ecstasy. I moaned…loudly. Once it hits your lips, it's so good! Yes, the flavor was the same as when I was human, but also intensified. Just like my sight and hearing and every other sense was sharpened by the transformation, so was my sense of taste. It's esquisite.

I opened my eyes and realized my body had gone slack and I was leaning heavily against Edward. I quickly sat up, feeling embarrassed. Everyone around me was staring at me in shock. I cleared my throat unnecessarily, turning to Hermione. "Hermione…If I was into chicks…It'd be you and me, sweet cheeks."

"Hey!" chorused The Skirts indignantly. They were playfully scowling at Hermione as she blushed furiously. This brought everyone out of their stupor as the others broke out into chuckles.

The vampires were all looking at me excitedly…Especially Edward. My moaning and carrying on had quite an effect on him, and the feelings rolling off him were having an effect on me. Plus the chocolate. Is it hot in here?

Daddy was eying me fondly, unaware of the exchange Edward and I were having. "Is it really that great, Princess? I don't ever remember you responding so strongly to chocolate before."

"The best way I can think to describe it would be to imagine that you'd never had chocolate or any sweets your entire life. Then one day you are given a piece of chocolate and it's unlike anything you've ever tasted before. That's what I felt like eating chocolate as a vampire, with the enhanced senses…like I've never had it before, because I've truly never had it like this before."

This was enough to nudge the others along. They all raised their cups, "To Hermione!" before downing the potion. They waited about the same length of time as me before their perception of smell shifted. It almost looked choreographed the way 12 hands reached for the chocolate and lifted it to their mouths in tandem. Like synchronized eating.

The room was soon filled with 12 moaning, boneless vampires. I giggled at my family, with the humans soon joining in. "Is that what I looked like?"

Remus smiled at me, chuckling. "Yes, Bella. That is exactly how you reacted."

I chuckled and looked to my father who was eying Kate in the same way that Edward was eying me earlier. Okay, moving on…

Once everyone had finished their chocolate they were eager to try other things. They didn't have a clue as to what kinds of foods they'd enjoy, and were looking forward to trying _everything_. Yeah, we were going to need a lot more potion.

Upon hearing that the vampires were so eager to eat human food again, Hermione pulled out her notes on the Potion. She quickly studied it, scribbling some notes here and there with her eyebrows scrunched together in intense concentration. She seemed to come to whatever conclusion she desired, because her face broke out into a brilliant smile and she looked back up to our expectant faces. "I only made the potion last for three hours, thinking that would give you enough time to have a meal and then…well, you know. Upchuck? Anyway, I was looking at the potion more as a way to blend in rather than as a means of enjoyment. I can alter the potion so that it will last twelve hours. That way you can take it in the morning and at night and go about your days eating whenever you want. In fact, it'd be easier to blend in that way, as you don't have to worry about carrying the potion everywhere with you in case someone offers you a chocolate frog or something. Anyway, on the nights you need to hunt or consume your…erm…natural diet…you can skip the potion and you know, do what you do."

Her cheeks were flushed in a mixture of embarrassment at discussing our consumption of blood, like it was rude or something, and excitement over making a new discovery. It made me laugh out loud. "Hermione, you're so brilliant. You can say it, though. We're not going to be offended. We will have to skip the potion about once every two weeks in order to have a nice filling of blood, and then we can go back to binging and purging without interruption."

She smiled sheepishly and everyone else burst into laughter. I reached over and brought her into a hug. "Thank you, Hermione. Truly. Between the absence of blood lust and the ability to sit down with friends for a nice meal without a second thought, we'll truly be able to feel human again, normal. Only better. Cause we're faster and stronger." I pulled back giving her a cheeky smile. She chuckled along with the others, smiling brilliantly while the other vampires voiced their own praises.

Nic had a pensive look on her face. Her eyes searched for me and I could practically see her brain working. "Bella, do you think you could banish the food from your stomach? You know, send it to non-existence? That way you wouldn't have to puke everything back up."

I smiled widely at her idea. "I could do it to myself, for sure. I'm not sure if the magic would reach the food in a vampire's stomach. I mean, it's the same principle as applying glamour to a vampire. In that the glamour isn't actually affecting the vampire's features, only covering them up with new features. With banishing the food, I wouldn't be doing anything to the vampires themselves, just the contents of their stomachs. It could work. We can all eat dinner tonight and I'll give it a shot."

That night Kreacher fixed us a huge dinner. He knew how much I loved "Americanized" Italian, so we had a feast made in Olive Garden heaven. There was baked ziti, lasagna, spaghetti, many varieties of ravioli, chicken parmesan, salad and garlic bread galore. It was a feast of epic proportions and everyone stuffed themselves stupid. I could feel the food sitting in my stomach, and it was very uncomfortable. I quickly waved my hand over my stomach and felt the weight disappear. It worked. I did the same to the other vampires and could see that it had worked for them as well. They were all smiling widely realizing they were going to get to eat whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, without the unpleasant side-effect of regurgitation.

The day before Harry's birthday, we had a party for Neville. He had been spending a lot of time at Number 12 the past few weeks helping Harley set up the greenhouses and landscape the basement. He'd also been forming stronger friendships with The Trio and Ginny. Neville's party was spent at the pool. We built a muggle type barbecue (with magical solutions for the smoke, of course) and enjoyed grilled ribs and chicken. Daddy finally got to use the "I'm flippin' awesome" apron that Kate got for him. It had a picture of a spatula flipping burgers.

We set up a volley ball net in the pool and taught the purebloods about water volleyball. Everyone had a blast, especially Neville. He was actually pretty good. He received a lot of Herbology related gifts, including some rare plants that nearly caused him to faint when he realized they were really for him.

The next day was Harry's birthday. The same group assembled for his celebration, plus a few others. Hagrid, Dumbledore and Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, as well as Jacob, Sarah, Jared, Kim, Sam, Emily, and Paul. Quil and Embry stayed behind to watch over the reservation. The wolves and their imprints had met Harry at the Yule Ball and had spent some time with him on our Forks excursions.

We had a really awesome time at Harry's party. Harry had so much fun playing water volleyball at Neville's party that he wanted to introduce some other muggle sports. We played Dodgeball, Kickball, and Soccer (Harry hates that I call it Soccer. But hey, it'll always be soccer to me, no matter how passionately he argues that American Football is played with your hands and British Football [Soccer] is played with your feet).

Everyone enjoyed the games, but it became woefully obvious that the Brits were out of shape. I mean, no one expected them to hold up to much against the pack, even in their human forms, but The Skirts and imprints were also running circles around them.

I was standing next to Dumbledore watching the games and turned my attention to him. "Sir, I just realized that you don't offer any sort of physical fitness courses at Hogwarts. I was so into the Tournament last year that I didn't really notice. The Hogwarts kids aren't in very good shape. At Salem we have physical fitness requirements and extracurricular activities in which students who don't make the Quidditch teams can participate. It helps keep the body strong, which in turn makes a person's magic easier to control and manipulate. You should consider implementing something like that at Hogwarts."

That damnable twinkle in his eye flared up while I was speaking and he smiled happily. "You know, Miss Black, Professor Sanderson said the same thing. She also told me that you and your friends were very involved in various extracurriculars that Hogwarts lacks, namely physical fitness and liberal arts. I actually wanted to speak to you about this very topic. Would it be alright if I stole you away from the party for a little bit so we could speak in private?"

All the humans, young and old, were busy playing Dodgeball at the moment. The vampires were watching the game excitedly, shouting pointers and acting as a vampire's lookout. I figured no one would miss me for a few minutes and gestured for Dumbledore to follow me.

I led him upstairs to the main level and into the living room. As soon as we'd made ourselves comfortable, Dumbledore began speaking. "Well Miss Black, as you know Voldemort is after the prophecy being held in the Department of Mysteries." I nodded my head in affirmation. We had been over this in the Order meetings. I had suggested that we just take Harry to get it now, before Voldemort could start trouble over it. The rest of the Order had thought of this, of course, but figured that if Voldemort was concentrating on acquiring the prophecy he wouldn't be able to focus as much on his evil plans to take over the world.

They had literally used those words. It had made me snort, giving me the vision of Pinky and The Brain from The Animaniacs. Lucius Malfoy could be Pinky and Voldemort would be The Brain. I could picture the exchange. "What are we going to do tonight, My Lord?" "Same thing we do every night, Lucy, try to take over the world!" It's Lucy, It's Lucy and The Dark Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord! I could also picture him as Dr. Evil, with his pinky raised to his non-existent lips while he did his evil cackle. Then one of his idiot followers would do something idiotic (probably Wormtail) and he'd go off into an evil tangent… "That makes me angry. And when Lord Voldemort gets angry, Nagini gets upset. And when Nagini gets upset…PEOPLE DIE!" At that point I had broken down into a fit of giggles while the entire room looked at me as though I'd completely gone off my rocker.

At my affirmative nod, Dumbledore continued. "Well, we know he is focusing on retrieving the prophecy, but we don't know what lengths he will go to try and retrieve Harry. Also, there are many Death Eater children at Hogwarts, and they could potentially cause harm. Also, Fudge has gotten it into his head that I am out for his job. It's probably an idea Lucius put there in order to cause a rift between us. My being on the outs with the Ministry is a huge advantage to Voldemort." I nodded my head, acknowledging the truth of this statement. If you remove Dumbledore's influence over the Minister, the strongest voice in his ear will be Malfoy. He, of course, will be pushing Voldemort's agenda.

"Malfoy has managed to make Fudge so paranoid that he is placing one of his people at the school in the DADA position. Lucius used his influence of the Board of Governors to push this initiative through." My eyes widened, horrified. Anyone Lucius or Fudge trusted for the job was undoubtedly going to be a detriment to the students.

"You see the problem I'm facing, then, Miss Black. I am worried about the students. They are entrusted to my care, yet I can't perform that duty properly if I have to fight this multi-front war."

I cocked my head to the side, curiously. I had no idea what the headmaster was getting at. Dumbledore, seeing my confusion continued, "You see, Miss Black, we need people inside the castle that can be trusted fully. People who can overhear private conversations. People who can stop plots before they're even able to reach the beginning stages. People who are impervious to all but the most complex magic."

My eyes widened in surprise. He can't be serious. "Professor, you've got be joking. I remember reading about the uproar that Remy caused when he was outed as a werewolf. I can't imagine the Brits would be too keen on sending their children into a school with over a dozen vampires." Honestly, people would go nuts.

Dumbledore just chuckled and turned up that blasted eye twinkle. "Miss Black, are you a witch or not?"

I smiled sheepishly. I went before the entirety of the Wizengamot and not one of them knew they were in the presence of a vampire. "Yeah, Professor, I suppose I am."

I smiled happily before continuing. "I've heard about the success on the Taste Potion. You'll be able to eat meals normally and you can put the glamour on all the Cullens to return their appearances back to their human visage. Kate also told me that when you went to a night club you placed warming and cushioning charms on all the vampires. She said that she and her sisters danced with humans and not one of them noticed the differences in temperature or…firmness."

I chuckled at his description of our skin. I reached my arm up to kiss my bicep. "Solid as a rock."

He snickered at my antics before continuing. "Indeed, Miss Black. Anyway, with your ability to blend in, I'd like to offer you the job of Arithmancy professor. Professor Vector has decided to move to the US. She is an academic and wants nothing to do with the inevitable second war. As Arithmancy isn't a subject which requires magic, I thought your Edward could teach with you."

I beamed at this. "Edward loves Arithmancy, and I know he'd be thrilled to teach at Hogwarts. I'm concerned about the others, though. The Cullens are kind of a package deal. They sometimes separate for short periods of time, but I would hate to take Edward off to Hogwarts and leave the others behind."

Dumbledore nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I figured as much, Miss Black. I actually already spoke to Kate about this matter, because I would like for the Denali vampires to stay at Grimmauld and continue on with the protection of the prophecy and other Order business. She said that they would prefer to stay together in whatever task they are given, and that she'd prefer that they stay where Sirius is. So it works out for them. I'd only be asking The Cullens and your friends from Salem to join us at Hogwarts."

I brightened considerably at this. "You want all the Cullens and the Skirts, too! What on Earth would you have the others do?"

"Well first off, I'd like to present the Cullen family structure as thus…Carlisle and Esme are married. Carlisle is a muggle doctor and Esme is a witch. I'd like for you to age their glamour so they can appear old enough to have adult children, of which they have three. Emmett will be the oldest and Alice and Edward will be twins. Rosalie and Jasper Hale are also twins. Rosalie married Emmett, so she's Rosalie Cullen. Alice married Jasper, so she's Alice Hale. All of the children will pose as magical beings. Now, for your tasks…"

I was…skeptical. How on Earth are the Cullens supposed to appear magical? And why leave Carlisle as the only muggle?

"As stated before, I'd like for you and Edward to teach Arithmancy together. And don't look so skeptical, Miss Black. Have you ever seen your Arithmancy instructor use a wand? Problems have to be worked out, so the Professors always use chalk instead of their wands." I considered this for a moment. He was right, the Arithmancy and Ancient Runes professors always wrote on a chalkboard like in muggle classes. You couldn't just use your wand to conjure the instructions because you needed to do it step by step. It is easier to teach if you show the students the steps manually. I wonder if I can talk him into dry erase boards…

"I see you see my point. Moving on, I'd like for Carlisle to work with Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing. He'll be able to help her brew and with his extensive study of the human body, he should be able to help her considerably, even without magic. The reason I am presenting him as a muggle is because if he is ever in the hospital wing without Madam Pomfrey and a student enters, he won't be able to magically diagnose. I don't want to run into a situation where magical ability is directly questioned. If he's presented as a muggle this won't be an issue." I considered this as well, and the logic was sound. If no one was in a position where they had to actually teach using magic, there shouldn't ever be a circumstance where magic was needed. No one ever directly cursed a teacher, and even if they tried the vampires would be able to dodge easily to avoid speculation as to why the curse had no effect.

"Now, I'd like Esme and Rosalie to teach Muggle Studies, so they would never have to actually use a wand either. Their excuse is that it is a Muggle Studies class, so everything should be done as the muggles do it. I would like to implement the Runes you used in your electronics room here at Grimmauld in the Muggle Studies classroom. You could get a generator to power any electronics you wanted to use as either teaching implements or subject material." I smiled widely at this. They could really open a lot of eyes to the ingenuity of muggles if the class was taught properly and they were able to show the students some of the more advanced muggle technology.

"Muggle Studies has typically been a class dominated by females, but I think with those two teaching, the male population will suddenly grow and interest in muggles." He added, his eyes twinkling mischievously. I laughed out loud. "You're probably right on that one, Professor."

He smiled conspiratorially before continuing. "Alice has been studying up on Divination. I would like to split up Professor Trelawney's courses. Students typically attend Divination twice per week. I'd like to break up the classes and have each group attend class once with Alice and the other time with Professor Trelawney. Alice will be able to pick out any true seers and help them to nurture their ability."

Professor Dumbledore was right about that. The ability was a natural one and couldn't be taught. There are certain aspects that can be studied and implemented, but as far as visions…you get them or you don't. Also, the skill tends to behave more like a muscle than an inherent ability. You have to work it, exercise it, in order for it to reach its full potential. Alice and I had been working together to exercise my ability and to train hers to see through magic. It was still very difficult to see possible futures when magic was involved, but we could generally get a flavor of a situation. We'd take anything we could get at this point.

I nodded my head in agreement, and we moved the discussion on. "Now, I'd like to bring Emmett and Jasper in as security. The students won't know that they can't perform magic, but their mere presence will be a deterrent for those looking to create trouble. Emmett's size alone makes him an imposing figure. Jasper carries himself like the soldier he is. Both should be able to keep the students in line without ever having to utter a single spell."

I could definitely see the truth in that statement. Both of them appear outwardly intimidating. There aren't any students stupid enough to challenge them, even Malfoy. I had some concerns, though. "Professor, if the Ministry is still denying Voldemort's return, what reason are you giving them to need security? How are they allowing you to bring in a bunch of people who are obviously firmly on your side?"

"Very good questions, Miss Black. There have been enough dangerous situations at Hogwarts in the last four years to warrant two security wizards. Honestly we should have had them all along. Prefects and the Head Boy/Girl shouldn't be our only source for security in the castle. It's high time we brought in some extra security measures. It's just good practice. Now, as for your other question. Honestly, Miss Black, it is none of the Ministry's concern who I bring in to teach in my school. It is up to the discretion of the Headmaster. Fudge has used all of the political power available to him in order to place one of his people at the school. He has nothing left to question my other placements." He added this last part with a slight scowl. This was obviously a sore subject.

"Well, all of this sounds good so far, sir, but what about The Skirts?"

His countenance brightened as he finished up the placements for me and my family. "Well, as you were saying earlier, Hogwarts is sorely lacking in the physical education department. We are in the process of building a recreational center on the grounds at the school. As you know from your time spent at Hogwarts during the TWT, there are truly only a few months out of the school year that provide adequate weather for outdoor activities. The rec center will offer a track where students can run or walk, as well as the same work out equipment you had at Salem." The equipment at Salem basically consisted of any work out equipment you'd see at a muggle gym. The only difference is that the treadmills and other electronic equipment ran off magic instead of electricity.

"There will also be a large room in the Center that can be transfigured into any type of environment one would need for any of the muggle sports. We are going to be adding P.E. as a requirement for all students. The classes will be attended twice weekly, but the Center will be open for students to use other times as well. We hope to build up interest in other sports that can provide healthy entertainment for the students. I'd like for Miss Pattinson and Miss Timberlake to head up the P.E. classes. I'd also like to offer an elective for liberal arts which I'd like to be headed up by Miss Lautner. "

Dumbledore sat back in his seat, having explained everyone's role in the school. "Wow, Professor. I certainly wasn't expecting this when you asked me to come up here for a little chat." We both chuckled. "I'm obviously going to have to discuss this with the others."

Dumbledore nodded his agreement. "Of course, Miss Black. Unfortunately there is only one month until school starts and I'll need to start looking elsewhere if you all do not wish to take the offer. You'll also need to start working on lesson plans if you do. I'll need an answer soon."

"I understand, Professor. I honestly think the others will jump at the chance. The Cullens are desperate to see the castle, and I know I'd feel a lot more comfortable if I could keep an eye on Harry. We'll discuss this tonight and I'll have an answer for you tomorrow."

He nodded his acceptance and we both returned to the party. The game was just finishing up when we made it back down to the basement. Kreacher was setting up for dinner, and the tired players were making their way over to the picnic tables.

Harry, who'd been denied the types of fun foods that most kids take for granted, requested pizza for dinner. Kreacher had gone all out. He'd make dozens of pizzas with every different topping combination you could possibly think of. Everyone was in heaven. Harry especially, as he'd never actually had pizza before. Ever. Can you believe that? Damn Dursleys. The wolves because, well, the pizzas were awesome and they are bottomless pits. The vampires had the funniest reactions, though, myself included. The flavor combinations exploded in our mouths in the most delicious way, and again, it was like eating pizza for the first time. For some of the older vampires, it probably _was_ the first time they'd eaten a pizza. Overall the pizzas were a hit and had everyone bowing to the greatness that is Kreacher the house-elf.

After dinner the humans were ready to enter a food coma, and not for the first time was I happy that I could simply banish the food in my overly stuffed stomach. The wolves were saying their goodbyes when Kreacher approached with some more pizzas in take away boxes. "Mister Uley, sir, Kreacher heard Mistress say that two of Mister's pack had to stay behind. Kreacher thought Mister Uley might like to take some pizza back to the wolves that couldn't make it."

Everyone beamed at Kreacher's thoughtfulness. He really had made a complete turn around and had everyone in the house wrapped around his bony little fingers. The wolves thanked him profusely, causing him to blush and bow deeply before apparating away.

After the wolves left, the rest of the humans were ready to beg off for an early night. I asked to speak to The Skirts before they went off to bed. They agreed and I led them and the vampires back to the living room. I brought my pensieve into the room so I could simply show everyone my conversation with Dumbledore. We all crowded around the basin and stuck a finger into the memory, allowing it to pull us all in.

When I emerged from the memory I was greeted by the smiling faces of The Cullens and The Skirts. Edward pulled me into an embrace and spun me around, thrilled at the opportunity to teach at a magical school. The other vampires had similar reactions. The Skirts had loved staying in the castle and were looking forward to bringing physical education and liberal arts to Hogwarts.

The Denali vampires weren't jumping up and down like everyone else, but I could feel that they were excited for us. They had been living in complete isolation for the past few centuries, and didn't particularly _want_ to be surrounded by a bunch of children. The Cullens, however, had spent the last few decades attending muggle school and were used to being around humans. Now that they could actually blend in and participate socially, they were actually looking forward to it. In the end, it was the perfect solution for everyone involved.

Everyone wanted me to send Dumbledore an acceptance immediately, as no discussions were needed. After seeing Caelen off, The Skirts retired to their rooms excitedly discussing the upcoming school year.

The Hogwarts students were ecstatic to hear that most of us would be joining them at school next term. They spent most of their time helping Nic and Sammie come up with their plans. Well, everyone except Hermione, who was more interested in what Edward and I were working on in Arithmancy. It was a bit of work to go over all the old lesson plans and see what had been covered and at what levels the students were performing. However, when you don't sleep, it becomes much easier to fit everything in.

Carlisle was busy studying up on the lycanthropy problem. He didn't have any lesson plans to work on, and he'd already read every book on magical healing he could get his hands on, so this was the perfect way for him to spend his extra time. He had taken samples of Remy's blood twice every day leading up to the full moon, when he was actually in the process of changing, when he was a wolf, during his transition back into a human, and finally when he was human again after the whole process. He was going to use muggle techniques to analyze any changes in his blood so we could try and isolate what happens in his body to cause the change. He'd asked Remy not to take the potion for the last full moon, so the reactions in his blood wouldn't be completely natural. On the next full moon he'd take the potion and pull the same samples. He'd then study what changes the Wolfsbane causes that allow Remy to keep his mind. Hopefully once the data was analyzed we'd have a better direction in which to study to find the permanent cure.

It wasn't all work during the nights at Grimmauld, however. All the couples made sure to take a few hours every night to enjoy the private company of their mate. About a week before we were set to go back to Hogwarts, Edward brought me to the Forks house to spend some time alone together. We started our night running around the forest enjoying the wind on our faces as we darted through the trees. We had carefree fun racing each other, although Edward always seemed to be able to catch me. He'd tackle me to the ground and we'd playfully wrestle each other before I'd escape and run off again.

Eventually we made it to his meadow, and what I saw shocked me into speechlessness. There was a beautiful gazebo in the middle of the clearing covered in vines of freesia and wisteria. There were also hundreds of fairies who'd wrapped themselves up in the vines, letting off a soft glow that was absolutely enchanting.

Edward slipped his hand into mine and led me over to the gazebo. There was a table under a chandelier of fairies. He'd set out my favorite, Hibachi style Japanese, and a bottle of red wine. I smiled sweetly at my wonderful, handsome boyfriend and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, Edward. This is beautiful."

He smiled shyly in return. "I'm glad you like it, baby."

We sat down to eat. Edward had never had this type of food before, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. We spent the next hour or so eating and talking about nothing of importance. Just simply being with each other, enjoying each other's company. During dessert he'd pulled my chair directly next to his and we fed each other chocolate cake in between sweet kisses. It was all terribly romantic and caused me to swoon over my own boyfriend.

When we finished eating I waved my hand to remove the food in our stomachs and leaned in to give Edward a proper thank you for such a wonderful evening. He didn't allow me to, however. He merely pecked my lips before pulling my chair around to face him and getting down on one knee. My breath caught in my throat. Edward was proposing.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He then slipped his hand into mine and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "Bella. Before I met you, I was living in a world of darkness. A place where I never truly lived, but merely existed. Then you stepped into Forks High and changed everything. You brought this amazing warmth and light that I never imagined could exist in this world. You looked at me and saw Edward. You saw all of me and accepted it all. It…changed me. At first I thought that I would taint you, turn you dark like me. But that didn't happen. Your spirit brought light into my life and eliminated the shadows. Bella, there are no words to describe my feelings for you. I love you more than anything in this world. You are _everything_ to me. My heart, my soul, my whole life. I am but a shell of a man without you. I would be the happiest man in the world if you would agree to spend eternity with me as my wife. Bella, will you marry me?" He asked, opening the box to reveal a diamond ring. The band was made up of infinity symbols, and there was a brilliant round diamond in the middle.

The sincerity in Edward's green eyes as he spoke those beautiful words stole my voice away. I couldn't speak; I could only stare at the beautiful man in front of me who'd asked me to be his wife. I could feel the intensity of his love for me and it caused venom to well up in my eyes. I could also sense a sliver of doubt and insecurity in him. Well, that won't do.

I was still having a hard time finding my voice, so I decided to deliver my answer in a manner that Edward would certainly appreciate. I put all my concentration into my shields and stripped them away to open my mind to him. When he'd set his shields he'd made sure they'd permanently be open to me. He wanted to make sure he'd always be able to hear me if I tried to speak to him mentally.

_Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course I'll marry you, you silly man!_

The smile that overtook his face was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. He quickly slid the ring onto my left ring finger before pulling me into a tight embrace. Then he finally allowed me to give him a proper thank you for the wonderfully romantic evening.

We stayed in the meadow until the sun started rising in the early Washington morning. Afterward, we ran back to the Cullen house and grabbed Edward's Volvo to visit Charlie before heading back to London. He congratulated us happily. I was so glad he was so accepting of all the craziness in my life. After cooking him breakfast Edward and I headed back to the Cullens to floo back to Grimmauld.

It was just before one in the afternoon in London when we arrived back home, and everyone was sitting down to lunch. It didn't take long for the vampires to notice the sparkly diamond adorning my left ring finger. They're worse than Nifflers, I swear.

Edward and I soon found ourselves surrounded by our family. We were passed from hug to hug, everyone giving their heartfelt congratulations. I _may_ have even seen Daddy tear up a bit, but we'll overlook that.

Alice also wanted to immediately begin planning the wedding. Edward wanted to have the ceremony on New Year's Eve. "There will always be fireworks on our anniversary, sweetheart."

I was reluctant. December 31st is the day Tom Riddle came into the world. I hardly wanted my anniversary to be on that monster's birthday. I was torn, though. I didn't want the asshole to have any influence in my life, and New Year's Eve was a great day for us to get married. We'd still have a week left of the holiday before returning to Hogwarts, so we could have a honeymoon. Plus, as Edward said, we'd always have fireworks to celebrate our anniversary. In the end I relented. Edward really wanted to do it on that day, in fact, he was even more adamant about it after I told him why I was unsure. I think a part of him liked the idea of officially making me his on Voldie's birthday since he'd tried to claim me all those years ago. Men.

Alice spent the remaining week of summer on wedding planning duty. I totally trust her judgment and know that she'll make the day spectacular. She was being assisted by The Skirts, who were helping her figure out the magical aspects of the ceremony, as well as the new options available for decoration. The only thing I wanted were fairies to light up the reception. I wanted a little piece of Edward's proposal to be a part of our wedding. I also realized we were going to have the largest freaking wedding party in history. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more people in the wedding than there was viewing it.

That thought alone stressed me out, so I was happy to leave the planning in Alice's capable hands. That left me to have a week to happily spend my time snogging my super sexy fiancé.

**A/N: OMM! Oh My Merlin! That chapter was a doozy. I started writing the thing and it sort of just evolved into this monster. It's my longest chapter yet! I do so hope you all enjoyed it.**

**Now, I need to thank all my lovely reviewers for taking the time to leave me a review. I love you guys! You totally motivate me! I have to give an extra special shout-out to PhantomLoveNeverDies for giving me my 200****th**** review! Thanks so much! And DreamerHorse, of course you can call me Leah. It is my name, after all! :)**

**, Sweetie7Smiled, WriterOfTheGods, IDontKnowWhatToPut4ApenName, BellaPevensie96, AvengedSevenfoldLover, PhantomLoveNeverDies, vivx-chan, Sakura Ichigo Morihiko, XxHelixRiderxX, 1vampire-girl1, lunarwing, Angel JJK, jafr86, DreamerHorse, mimic121, poochieB and deathgeonous**

**Thanks guys, you are the best!**

**So, a lot happened in this chapter. It better have as it's 29 pages in Word. :) Firstly, I hope you liked the article, and the changes to the trial. Bella had to get her dig in about Sirius not getting a trial. Now, originally I had planned for Rita's article to cause such an uproar that the Ministry was forced to actually perform the investigation into the Dementor attack and discover that the Umbitch was the one who sent them. I originally planned for Bella to take the DADA position. However, I've had a lot of reviewers comment that they're excited to see what happens with Umbridge at Hogwarts, so I changed things up a bit. Keep in mind that no one knows that she's the one who sent them, as she's has basic Occlumency shields so Edward and Bella can't read her thoughts.**

**Now, as I stated before the chapter, I'm not a big fan of Molly Weasley. Almost the entire exchange that took place before the Order meeting was directly from the book. There had to be changes since the exchange took place from Bella's POV. Some Siriuses got changed to Daddies, Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys got changed to Molly and Arthur. Things like that. Plus, I obviously added Bella's parts. My point is, the exchange paints her in a bad light, but that is all canon. The movie doesn't show it as heatedly as the book describes it. So, if you are a fan of Molly…well, I'm not really sorry. In fact, what's wrong with you? Heh. Just kidding.**

**We also completed the Taste Potion in this chapter and got to see Bella have an interesting reaction to the chocolate. The Wolfsbane will take more time, as it is much more complicated. I think there'd be a lot of research needed in order to cure lycanthropy, so that's why it's more in depth. I had to put the bit about seafood in there. I love Jim Gaffigan; he's my favorite comic. We have this café in the lobby of the building where I work, and they were serving fish on Friday. That disgusting fish smell was permeating the entire lobby, as well as the elevators, all damn day. It inspired me to make Bella a seafood hater.**

**What else, what else? Ah yes, all the Cullens and Skirts are going to Hogwarts in the fall. I hope everyone is happy with this. It should be a fun time. **

**And finally…Edward proposed! I put a link to a picture of the engagement ring on my profile if you'd like to see how I imagine it to look.**

**Now, I will end this epically long author's note with a request for my readers. What should we do to Umbridge over the next year?**

**Thanks for reading! I'll love you forever if you review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:**

**I started a new story called "The Adventures of Harry and Harley". This is also a Sirius' daughter fic, but it's not a crossover. It's just strictly HP. I named his daughter Harley because, A: I am total fail at coming up with names, and B: I thought it would be a name Sirius might consider for his daughter just to stick it to his parents. I'd love it if you'd check it out and let me know what you think. :)**

**I am not giving up on this story, though. I am still invested in finishing it, and promise it will not be abandoned. **

**Oh, and speaking of Harleys, my sister has decided that she **_**hates **_**Justin Bieber (even though I know for a fact that she has a t-shirt with his face on it in her closet at this very moment), and is **_**most**_** aggrieved that her pretend name in this fic is Harley Bieber. When I asked her why she has developed this sudden distaste, she told me that he tried to sing "What Goes Around Comes Back Around" by Justin **_**Timberlake**_**, which was simply criminal, as he brutally murdered it. She was also not impressed by a video reenactment he did of the boy asking his father, "Is this real life?" after visiting the dentist. Apparently the Bieber has crossed into the land of the lame, and she does not want to be associated with him in **_**any**_** way, even if it's just in a silly fanfiction I write in my spare time. So, she's decided she'd much prefer to be a Timberlake, even though I find this quite creepy seeing as how he's more than double her age. However, since it is just a silly fanfiction I write in my spare time, I decided to humor her. Harley Bieber now equals Harley Timberlake. I've changed the previous chapters, so if you're a newer reader, this won't mean very much to you, but if you've been following the story for a while, please don't be confused about the name change.**

**Disclaimer: I use some direct text from the book in this chapter, mainly during the introduction of Umbridge, so I just wanted to reiterate that I do not own Harry Potter or anything in the Potterverse. No copyright infringement intended!**

**Now, on with the chapter!**

Chapter 21:

The Cullens were anxious to get to the castle, so we arrived a couple days early. We decided to arrive at night, as that is when the castle looks the most magical. We even took the boats over like little firsties.

The vampires were suitably impressed with the school, and I have to admit that I had a new appreciation for it as well. Seeing the castle through a vampire's eyes was a completely different experience. I could also feel the ambient magic much more distinctly than before.

We made our way to the Headmaster's office first so we could retrieve our room, office and living assignments. After looking over the assignments, The Skirts and I began to give the vampires a tour of the castle. We showed them all secrets we'd discovered the last year with the aid of the Marauder's Map and our own investigations. They were most impressed by the Room of Requirement, unsurprisingly.

After we finished showing off the castle we headed out to the new recreation facility. The place was amazing and my girls couldn't be happier. The students would now have a place they could go to keep their bodies healthy and fit, and the girls couldn't wait to teach them muggle sports. Sammie was happy about the dance studio that was included.

By the end of the night the humans were exhausted and made their way back into the castle to get some sleep. The vampires wanted to continue exploring. We stayed together as a single unit during the night. The vampires talked to many portraits, exceedingly amused that the occupants became annoyed at having their sleep interrupted. I didn't really want to have any part of annoying the portraits. They had been invaluable during our investigation of the castle's secrets. I didn't want to anger potentially powerful allies. The vampires finally agreed, but demanded they get to spend some time the next day getting to know the various portrait people.

We swung by the kitchens where I had Alice tickle the pear for entry. They all chuckled as the door swung open. We were immediately swarmed by a gaggle of house-elves eager to serve. Missy approached and told us that Dumbledore had alerted the house-elves of the arrival of eight vampires, but we were not to be feared. She told us they would provide any type of blood desired, just to let them know which species we preferred.

They then brought out every type of desert you could think of after informing us they'd been made aware of the Taste Potion. The chocolate cake nearly turned me into a puddle of mush. Edward loved the treacle tart.

After vanishing the food in our stomachs the group separated to get settled into their own rooms. Edward and I were sharing the Arithmancy quarters. We unpacked all of our things and spent the early morning arranging the rooms to our liking.

We ate breakfast with the other staff members in the Great Hall. Professor Snape glared at me maliciously. Jasper and Edward nearly broke our cover growling at him. Snape knew everyone from the Order meetings, but no one but Dumbledore and the residents at Grimmauld knew that the Cullens and I are vampires.

I placed a comforting hand on Edward's arm and sent waves of calm toward him and Jasper. They both looked over to me. I spoke softly so that only vampire senses could hear. "Ignore him. His hateful glares ceased bothering me last year." Everyone nodded their ascent, deferring to me in this matter.

It was the truth, though. Yes, Severus Snape hated my frozen guts. It didn't really ever bother me, not even when I didn't know _why_. Of course now I know that I had reminded him of my father, one of the people he hates most in the world. And let me tell you, that is saying something for a man like Severus Snape, who holds _a lot_ of hate and resentment in his heart.

I can't fully blame the man though, not really. Daddy told me everything about their feud, and was truly remorseful for the actions of his younger self. He should be. It was foolhardy and cruel to the extreme. If Uncle Jamie hadn't reacted so quickly, Severus Snape would have been dead, and Remus Lupin would have been executed. Daddy wasn't thinking about these consequences, though. All he was focused on was getting his digs into his enemy. The fact that he would be exposing one of his best friends as a Lycan, and how that would affect Remy, had never even entered his mind.

I had thought about trying to talk to the man, but decided against it. Daddy had apologized to him and was rebuked. I mean, honestly, Snape almost had Daddy kissed by a Dementor. I'd say they're pretty even. Snape was far too gone to ever consider this, though. He was content in hating a man for an incident that occurred two decades ago. It actually made me feel sorry for him more than anything else.

So on that note I just ignored the greasy haired dungeon bat. The other professors were very welcoming, so I wasn't going to let one bad apple spoil the bunch.

We continued our exploration of the castle after breakfast. The portraits were much more congenial during daylight hours. I had already spoken to most of them during the time spent at Hogwarts the previous year, so it wasn't really anything new for me. I just enjoyed watching the wonder on my family's faces as they took in these new experiences.

After they'd gotten their fill of the portraits I showed them the library. We spent the rest of the day reading through books on every magical topic under the sun. Emmett had found a book on raising dragons and was desperate to get his hands on an egg. It made me laugh out loud. I couldn't wait to tell Harry. He'd told me about the egg that Hagrid obtained in their first year. Honestly, Emmett wanting a dragon was just as absurd as a man who lived in a wooden house. "Emmett?" I tried to show him reason. "You do realize that dragons breathe fire, right?"

He nodded his head enthusiastically. "Emmett. You're a vampire. Fire is one of the only things that can destroy you."

He just smiled and patted my head patronizingly. "You bet, Bellsy."

I sighed and looked to Rosalie. "Don't you dare let him get his hands on a dragon egg."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Bella. I'll keep him away from any dragons and their eggs." I smiled back at her. She was completely different from the bitchy girl I met at Forks High. I liked this version much better.

We spent the last night without students helping Esme and Rosalie set up the muggle studies classroom. Edward and I drew the runes while Emmett and Jasper set up the electronics. By the time the sun came up the room had been transformed into a techie's wet dream. There were gaming systems, computers, arcade games and televisions. We'd definitely be spending many of the night hours in this room throughout the year.

We had a staff meeting after breakfast the next morning. The students would be arriving that evening and Albus wanted everyone to be on the same page before we were overrun with young witches and wizards. The meeting began with the Headmaster introducing all the new teachers. Umbridge sent me a hateful glare when Edward and I stood up to tell the Professors what we planned to teach the students in the upcoming year. Everyone seemed impressed with how Edward and I had updated the curriculum. Well, everyone except Umbridge and Snape.

The longest introduction was for Esme and Rosalie's muggle studies class. They gave a detailed account of the various technologies they'd be introducing as well as various field trips they'd planned. They'd rightfully realized that the kids needed to be truly exposed to the muggle world if they ever hoped to understand it. It's like that movie Blast from the Past with Brendan Fraser. He lived in an underground bunker for the first 35 years of his life, so he didn't have any real experiences. His father tried to explain baseball to him, but he could never understand the concept of a forced out. He would always ask why the runner would advance to the next base if he knew he couldn't make it. His father would tell him, "Because he must." He never understood until he saw an actual game, then it clicked. "Because he must!" It's the same concept with muggle studies.

All the Professors, sans Snape and Umbridge of course, seemed very intrigued with the new direction of the course. They knew the students would now be excited to take the course and would actually learn something useful. It is our hope to show the students the ingenuity of the muggle community. A lot of magical people who haven't been exposed to the muggle world tend to see muggles as backward, slow, and practically handicapped by their inability to perform magic.

The reality couldn't be further from the truth. Because muggles don't have magic as a crutch, they have to be more inventive, more forward thinking. They think outside the box and begin looking for the next greatest thing before they even finish developing the current greatest thing.

To say that muggle society is behind wizard society is a true testament to the arrogantly erroneous nature of pureblood supremacy. For Merlin's sake, muggles haven't used fire as a primary means of light in a century! If wizards would pull their heads out of their asses, they could use magic to far surpass muggle innovation. Unfortunately, even in the States, where blood status is a nonissue, muggle advancements are often ignored in favor of wizarding traditional ways.

If magical students come to appreciate muggle inventions before they are so irrevocably set in their ways, the next generation of wizards could far surpass their predecessors in regards to magical advancements. They will hopefully develop a certain amount of respect for the intellect and ingenuity offered by muggless, as well. After all, they're all human. The fact that some humans have magic and some don't isn't a reason to wage a war, or an excuse to murder innocent people.

After the meeting the rest of the professors went about their day preparing for the arrival of the students. Vampire speed and sleepless nights left little preparation for the Cullens. I decided to take everyone on a jaunt through the Forbidden Forest to focus the nervous energy simmering through my vampires.

Because we left my fellow Skirts behind so they could finish their preparations, we were able to explore at vampire speed. I showed them the various sights, including the Aragog's cave. Our animal forms had always instinctively avoided the area, and when Harry told us of his adventures we found out the reason. An acromantula is not a creature one wishes to stumble across, let alone an entire colony. They're no match for vampires, however.

We even came across a unicorn on our ventures, but dared not approach. It was one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen, Edward excluded, of course. The creature eyed us skeptically for a few moments before continuing its lazy grazing. I was beyond astonished at this. I'd expected it to run off immediately. Animal instincts see through our glamour effortlessly. The unicorn knew what we were but did not feel threatened.

"What is it, Bella? You feel surprised about something," Jasper inquired quietly amidst the low murmurs of awe uttered by the rest of our family.

"Unicorns are the most innocent creatures in the world. They can sense darkness, evil, and untrustworthiness that taint any creature they happen upon. She knows we're not human, that we're vampires, yet she doesn't see us as a threat. She sees our true selves, beyond our species, and has judged us accordingly," I explained with a smile. "She's sees eight pure souls."

The undiluted glee that poured out of my family made me feel giddy. It caused a trill of laughter to bubble out of my throat, well beyond my control. My laughter was contagious, the rest of our group quickly dissolving into their own fits of giggles.

I expected the unicorn to spook at the sudden noise, but she didn't. She simply cocked her head to the side and studied us as if we were some kind of fascinating creatures. She then shook her mane, as if amused by our antics and turned to walk away.

The vampires could barely contain their excitement as they talked over each other telling the Skirts about our experience with the unicorn. My girls ate it up, enjoying their exuberance and providing an excellent audience for the tale. It _did_ make quite a good story, as unicorn sightings are quite rare. We'd traipsed through the forest countless times during our year here and never crossed paths with one.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing HALO in the muggle studies room. Jasper dominates that game, but Emmett always insists on challenging him. Edward used to give him a run for his money, but now that Jasper can block his thoughts, Edward has to rely on his own strategies. No one can out strategize Jasper Whitlock Hale Cullen.

We were all excited when it was finally time to descend to the Great Hall to welcome the students back to school. None of the vampires had tired of the new found pleasure of eating human food, so we were all looking just as forward to stuffing our faces as we were to greeting the students.

We took our place at the staff table, looking a bit conspicuous. Our vampire features were hidden by glamour, but we were still quite an attractive group, and my girls are all gorgeous as well. This was not overlooked by the students as they filed into the Great Hall. The whispered conversations were rather humorous, and the vampires had to hold our reactions in check. It wouldn't do for the humans to realize we could hear their secret murmurs.

Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys all waved as they entered the Hall. Everyone knew us Skirts from the TWT the previous year, but the Cullens were an unknown. The group was immediately pounced upon once the other students realized they were familiar with all the handsome new faces. The interactions were quite amusing.

"Who are they?" asked Lavender Brown, many other students leaning in to hear the answer.

"The Cullens. Bella knew them from back home."

"Oh, how does she know them?"

"The one to her left is her fiancé."

"Oh?" The disappointment in that one word was so blatant I involuntarily snorted. I just couldn't help it. "How long have they been engaged?"

"A week."

I saw Lavender smirk. "Oh, not very long, then. How long have they known each other?"

"I don't know, Lavender. Why do you care?"

"I'm just wondering how serious he is about her."

"Pretty serious, Lavender. He asked her to _marry_ him," Hermione snapped. "I've never seen a man more devoted to a woman in all my life."

"Pity. He's so pretty." Everyone but Edward snorted at this. I could feel my poor fiancé's embarrassment at the not so confidential conversation taking place with our friends at the Gryffindor table. "What about the others, then. They're pretty, too."

It was Edward's turn to snort this time. Luckily we were all quiet enough not to draw the attention of any of the humans. "They're all married, Lavender!" Hermione said exasperatedly. "And they are here as teachers! They are not going to be interested in romantic entanglements with students!"

Unfortunately for Hermione, instead of laying the matter to rest, the students became even more interested.

"What are they teaching?" asked a boy I didn't recognize. "I'm especially curious about the blond."

Emmett let out a quiet growl at the question. Yeah, he was really going to have to get used to that. "She's teaching muggle studies with her mother-in-law. And I would be careful what you say about her. Her husband is the big burley one. He's here for security; you don't want to mess with him."

"Why do we need security?" sneered Seamus.

Harry looked at him like he was completely nutters. "Because of Voldemort," said Harry slowly.

Seamus flinched rather violently before guffawing unpleasantly. "Says you. Me mam nearly kept me from Hogwarts because of you, Potter."

I could feel anger swelling inside at the snide remark. Did Seamus not learn anything from my little rant last year? You don't mess with Harry Potter when Isabella Black is around. I discreetly stood from my seat and glided toward the Gryffindor table. I knew Seamus would continue to spew his nonsense, and I wanted to be close enough for the humans not to question my overhearing.

"She believes the Daily Prophet, does she?" asked Harry incredulously. "She thinks I'm a liar and Dumbledore's an old fool?"

"Well then tell us what happened that night, Potter. You won't talk to anyone about it, and no one else really knows what happened wherever you went, do they? You're probably just trying to get attention, just like last year," replied Seamus harshly.

I'd made my way behind Seamus just as he started his retort. When he finished, I slid into the space beside him. "Are you forgetting about me, then Seamus? I was there as well. I assure you that Harry is not lying, nor is he trying to seek attention. Voldemort is back. I saw him with my own eyes. I thought we'd addressed the lack of faith you have in your fellow Gryffindor last year. Don't make me address it again. As a professor, I can't shout at you in front of the whole school, but I can give you less than pleasant detentions with one Mr. Filch."

With that I stood and made my way back to the high table. When I was a few feet away, I turned to Hermione. "Hey, Hermione, can you come see me in the Arithmancy room after you see the first years to the dorms? I need to speak with you about something."

She nodded curiously. "Can we come along?" Harry asked, pointing to Ron.

I smiled at my brother. "My door is always open to you, Harry," I said, before turning and continuing the short walk to the teacher's table.

When I reclaimed my place next to Edward, he leaned in to whisper in my ear. "That was so sexy, baby. I love seeing you get all riled up."

I chuckled and squeezed his cheeks. "You're so easy," I said, pecking him on the lips. This earned us a glare from Professor Umbridge. We both just smiled cheekily in response.

She didn't get the opportunity to offer a verbal reprimand, as the doors opened to the reveal about a hundred amazed firsties. They looked so small and innocent. I felt a pang of sadness for them in that moment. They were all entering a whole new world. Even if they'd been raised in the magical world, like Nicole, entering school was still a new adventure. Hogwarts enhanced this feeling of embarking on new territory. The castle had so many hidden secrets…nothing can truly prepare you for it. These little ones should be able to come in and relish in the opportunities before them, but it's like they have this dark cloud hanging over their heads, even if they don't notice it.

The sorting hat sang a song about the importance of house unity, filled with warnings of oncoming darkness. The Great Hall clapped for the song, but it was a bit disjointed and accompanied by questioning whispers.

After the last student was sorted, Dumbledore took the podium and gestured for quiet. "I'd like to welcome our new students; we're very happy to have you here. I'd also like to welcome back our returning students. These halls aren't the same without you. Now, as you can see, we have many new teachers this year. First we will address the issue of Professor Black. She attended Hogwarts last year as Isabella Swan and competed alongside Misters Diggory and Potter for the Triwizard Tournament. She knew she was the daughter of Sirius Black, but decided to keep her identity a secret until her father could be proven innocent. There has been much speculation about her over the summer, but I ask you not to pester her with your curiosities. She will be teaching Arithmancy alongside Professor Edward Cullen." The school clapped loudly for me and Edward as we stood for the acknowledgement.

"We will have multiple Professor Cullens at Hogwarts this year. Professor Esme Cullen and Professor Rosalie Cullen will be teaching muggle studies. I want to speak to you all a moment about this class. The curriculum has been vastly improved. The new professors have discovered a way to allow muggle technology to function inside the castle. Students will learn about a variety of muggle electronics, and I'm told there will be weekly HALO tournaments, whatever that means." There was a roar of applause from the muggleborn and halfblood students familiar with the game, causing the rest of the students' curiosity to peak.

"Yes, yes, I'm told it's quite popular. There will also be weekend field trips to various muggle attractions. The school is funding the trips; all you'll need is signed permission forms. Now, we have painstakingly developed this year's timetables to place muggle studies in a time slot that can be added by any student, third year and above, who wishes to take it. We believe that now, more than ever, understanding those different from us is vital. I understand that many of you will be skeptical as to the usefulness of a class like muggle studies, so I offer you this. You may sit through a week of the class before you decide whether you'd like to add it to your course schedule. If, after the week has passed, you decide you do not wish to continue, you may drop it."

There were the sneers from the usual suspects, but most of the other students seemed intrigued. Even if they'd never been exposed to any muggle technology, the idea of getting out of the castle every once in a while seemed to appeal to the vast majority of students.

"Moving on from muggle studies, we have Professor Hale splitting Divination classes with Professor Trelawney. Every students will spend one class a week with Professor Hale and the other with Professor Trelawney." There seemed to be mixed reactions to this news. Most students were happy to have a class away from Professor Trelawney, but some of the students, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil in particular, seemed most upset.

"Now, I'll finish up with the Cullens and Hales before I move on to our other new Professors. Dr. Cullen is a muggle doctor who will be assisting Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing." There were some pretty shocked faces at this declaration. The muggleborn students seemed happy, but the purebloods looked angry. Ha! I'd like to see them try to pull something over on Carlisle. "Dr. Cullen has a vast knowledge of the human body, as well as multiple degrees. Being married to a witch, he has also studied potion making, specializing in healing potions. He'll be helping Madam Pomfrey with brewing, as well as working to advance the field of healing potions. I expect every student to treat him respectfully." I grimaced at the faces of some of the students. I didn't like the idea of Carlisle being the odd man out. He's so kind and compassionate, and I was afraid he'd be putting up with a fair amount of abuse. Abuse the students might not even realize their dishing out, as he'll be able to hear their whispered conversations. The only option is to cross that bridge when we come to it. No use in worrying about it now.

"Emmett Cullen and Jasper Hale will not be teaching; they are here in a security capacity. They'll be monitoring the halls along with the prefects, ensuring that the castle remains a safe place to learn. They are both very formidable opponents, and I suggest you refrain from testing them. You won't like the outcome. They will have the same authority as our Professors, and I expect you to treat them respectfully." Emmett and Jasper put on their best intimidation faces, and it seemed to work. The students seemed to hold a respectable amount of fear for the pair.

"Now, we are implementing a new physical education program at the school this year. Professor Sanderson spoke of such a program at Salem, and it is most beneficial to her students, as proved by Professor Black during the tournament. There will be a mandatory class for all students twice weekly. They will be taught jointly by Professor Pattinson and Professor Timberlake. As part of the requirements for this class, you will need to exercise for an hour outside of class three times per week. Quidditch can fulfill this requirement, as well as various other intramurals that will be introduced by your new instructors. One of these will be dance classes taught by Professor Lautner. She will also be teaching a new Liberal Arts elective we're offering this year. Students who wish to participate in this class will present various plays and musicals to the school throughout the year where the parents of the performing students will be invited to watch." This news garnered extremely varying reactions. Most of the boys were excited, while the girls were less so. Almost all of the pureblooded Slytherins looked as though someone just told them they'd be in charge of cleaning the toilets this year. _Gasp!_ _They were going to have to actually work up a sweat? Oh the humanity!_

Dumbledore continued after the noise died down. He went on to introduce Professor Grubby-Plank who was taking over for Hagrid this year. Finally he landed on the Ministry toad. After giving her a brief introduction he moved on to informing the students about Quidditch tryouts, only to be interrupted halfway through his sentence.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again, I felt a powerful rush of dislike that I could not explain to myself; all I knew was that I loathed everything about her, from her stupid voice to her fluffy pink cardigan. She gave another little throat-clearing cough ("hem, hem") and continued.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

Glancing around, I could see none of the faces looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken-aback at being addressed as though they were five years old.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins and not so silent giggles.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ("hem, hem"), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members; none of us bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawk-like, and I distinctly saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little "hem, hem" and went on with her speech.

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

I could see the students' attentiveness ebbing. The quiet that always filled the Hall when Dumbledore was speaking was breaking up as students put their heads together, whispering and giggling. Over on the Ravenclaw table Cho Chang was chatting animatedly with her friends. A few seats along from Cho, Luna Lovegood had got out a copy of The Quibbler.

Meanwhile, at the Hufflepuff table Ernie Macmillan was one of the few still staring at Professor Umbridge, but he was glassy-eyed and I was sure he was only pretending to listen in an attempt to live up to the new prefect's badge gleaming on his chest.

Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. I had the impression that a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have ploughed on with her speech.

Most of the teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, and Hermione seemed to be drinking in every word Umbridge spoke, though, judging by her expression, they were not at all to her taste.

"… because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The rest of the staff followed his lead, though most of us brought our hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held…" he began, finishing the sentence that was so rudely interrupted by the Toad woman.

After a few more warnings about the Forbidden Forest and banned items, the feast commenced. I'm not sure the students would have been willing to wait much longer, so the timing was impeccable. The Cullens were most impressed with the spread that appeared before them, and began digging in immediately. I was pleased to see that the elves substituted some traditional English meals with American ones. Steak and kidney pie, no thank you.

After everyone had their fill, the students began to file out. Emmett and Jasper stood to oversee the students' journey to their common rooms, fulfilling their security duties. When they walked past me I subtly waved my hand under the table, vanishing the food sitting in their stomachs. They sent me an appreciative smile as they followed the students out.

My girls bid us goodnight. They were sleepy after the feast and wanted to make sure they were sufficiently rested for the first day of classes. The rest of us made our way up to the Arithmancy room to wait for Hermione, Harry and Ron.

We all wanted to do something nice for Hermione for inventing the potion. Like me, her favorite subject is Arithmancy. I found a first edition copy of "A Sorcerer's Guide to Arithmancy and Spell Creation" when I was in my fifth year. It is an extremely valuable tome, and very rare. I'd had to part with quite a bit of gold to acquire it, but it was totally worth it. It was an invaluable tool for the Skirts, aiding us in the creation of many spells that supported our nefarious plots.

I decided to gift her the book in thanks. I read it after my transformation, and had all the vampires read it as well. The book itself was now relatively useless to us, as our minds retained everything perfectly. I'd never have to consult it again. It was still a wrench giving it away, as it was one of my most prized possessions. It paled in comparison to the gift she'd given us, though, so part with it, I must.

The trio arrived about thirty minutes after us, escorted by Emmett and Jasper. We told them about our adventures over the last few days, exploring the castle and grounds. Harry got down on his knees begged Rosalie to keep Emmett away from all dragon eggs, causing the rest of us to snicker.

The trio told us about their trip on the Express. Apparently everyone wanted to know exactly what happened during the final task of the TWT. They were also very curious about my dad and wanted to know everything that happened with him following his escape from Azkaban.

Harry is a very private person, so he wasn't keen on sharing these personal experiences with everyone in Hogwarts. Hermione had finally sealed their door shut with so many locking charms she'd had a difficult time getting out of the carriage herself.

They'd shared the carriage with Luna Lovegood. They thought she was a bit mental, but I encouraged them to be friendly with the girl. The Skirts and I had spoken to her a few times the previous year, and found her very intelligent and incredibly kind. She has a hard time making friends, as people automatically write her off just because she marches to the beat of her own drum. My girls and I respect that, and I'd be very disappointed in my brother and his friends if they were unkind to her.

After explaining this to them, and receiving their assurance that they would be friendly toward the girl, I explained why we'd asked Hermione to come see us tonight. "Hermione, all of us vampires are very grateful to you for developing the Taste Potion."

"Yes," said Edward. "Bella hasn't had to experience the world without the ability to blend in completely, but the rest of us have. Even if we could hide our supernatural features and tame our instincts, we'd still never be able to blend in with humans socially, as we don't eat. You don't realize how many interactions revolve around ingestion. When humans make plans, most of the time there is food somewhere in the mix. We could never really make plans with any humans, as they'd notice very quickly that we don't eat. But now we can. It will completely change our existence."

"So, this is the first part of our thank you. Carlisle will explain the second part after you open it," I explained, handing her the wrapped tome.

She looked taken aback as she stared down at the wrapped package in her hands. Very gently, she removed the paper. She gasped in shock when she saw the title. "Bella! I can't accept this!"

"Of course you can, Hermione. We've all read it and we have perfect recall. We've no real use for it anymore, and I know you'll make some brilliant discoveries with it. Now, I can't guarantee you won't be hounded by the other Skirts to borrow it," I said, smirking.

The small girl practically launched herself at me. I gently returned her embrace, noticing the wry grins on both Harry and Ron's faces. She noticed as well after she pulled out of the hug, causing her to blush. "Oh stuff it, you two. I would bet my vault that she'll discover something using that book that will save both your asses at some point in the future, so keep your smart ass comments to yourselves." They both nodded sheepishly, knowing I was right.

Carlisle stepped toward Hermione next. "Yes, well, as Edward said, you've vastly improved the quality of our lives with your Taste Potion. Bella wanted to present you the book from all of us, but it's really just from her, as it was solely her possession. We wanted to contribute something as well. We discovered a rare book club during our time in wizarding NYC, and signed up. You see, they have stock piles of very rare and valuable books that they procure from various places. They send each member of the club a list monthly. Each list is different. You choose one book form the list each month, and it is yours to keep. If after you finish a book you decide you no longer wish to keep it, simply return it and they'll send you another list of choices. This does not replace your monthly choice; it's more of an exchange irrespective to the monthly service. We've procured you a lifelong membership," he explained, handing her the first list.

Hermione accepted the list, her eyes nearly bugging out of their sockets as she scanned the titles. "This…this is amazing! I don't know what to say. Thank you so much!"

Carlisle smiled kindly at the young girl. "You're most welcome, my dear. Now, why don't you three head back to your dormitories? I'm sure you're ready to fall into bed. Emmett and Rose will escort you."

She nodded excitedly, hugging everyone as fiercely as her little arms could manage. I doubt she was going to be getting any sleep tonight, poor dear. Perhaps we should have done this tomorrow. She'll be up all night reading through that tome.

After everyone said their goodnights, Rosie and Em led the three teens back to Gryffindor Tower. We had decided to take turns as couples roaming the halls at night. Jasper and Em would be responsible for security while we were teaching, but we'd share the burden the rest of the time.

Esme and Carlisle left for their quarters while Alice, Jazz, Edward and I made our way to the muggle studies classroom. We were going to play Mario Party until the sun comes up.

**A/N:**

**So, first things first, I need to thank my lovely reviewers!**

**Lara, VeronicaD13, BloodyBleedingRose, Darlene101004, mimic121, Crazy-Sly Angel Cullen, lunarwing, AFlawInCourage, izzysunflower, , DreamerHorse, iwantacullentoo, BellaPevensie96, deathgeonous, vivx-chan and Angel JJK!**

**You guys are awesome, and I so appreciate you sticking with my story and letting me know what you think!**

**As for this chapter, I know it was a bit of a filler. I had to go through the motions of getting them introduced to the school and settled in. I hope it was enjoyable for you all. Please let me know what you think! Your reviews make me :D!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

The next morning the four of us made our way down to the Great Hall for some breakfast. Everyone was anxious and excited for our first day. The others were already seated at the high table when the four of us arrived. I'd already renewed our glamour before we left the muggle studies classroom, so I trailed my arm across the others as I passed them, refreshing their glamours as well. To the humans it would just look like I was greeting them good morning.

We all waved to our friends as they entered the hall. I noticed Umbridge's eyes trail to Harry every few minutes with a glare firmly fixed on her toad-like face. The extreme hate she emanated toward him was staggering, and made me _very_ nervous.

I looked to Jasper to see that he'd noticed as well. We only held each other's glance for the slightest of moments. It would seem quite insignificant to any humans paying attention, but to us the glance spoke volumes. When Jasper returned his attention to his plate he murmured, "I'll stay outside the classroom while he's in there. I won't let anything happen to him." No one else would even see Jasper's lips move. Not even Romilda Vane, who seemed to be eying him quite intently.

There were murmurs of "Thanks" from all the Cullens. It seems Jasper and I weren't the only to notice the hostility.

"Hey Jazz," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "I think you have an admirer."

Glancing at Romilda, Jasper groaned, causing the rest of us to snicker. "She tried to flirt with me last night when Em and I swung by Gryffindor Tower to collect The Trio," he complained. "The girl's got no shame."

"You better watch out," I warned humorously. "She might try to dose you with a love potion."

The horror on Jasper's face was quite comical and had us all bursting into peals of laughter. We were no longer succeeding in our attempts at discretion, quickly becoming the focus of many curious stares. Harley leaned over questioningly. "What's so funny?" she asked.

I cast a _Muffliato_ around our group before answering. "Oh, Jasper just has an admirer…Romilda Vane," I snorted.

All three of my girls began chortling. "I'd watch out for love potions if I were you," wheezed Nicole.

"Bella said the same thing. Is there a story there?" asked Emmett, relishing his brother's discomfort.

"Oh yeah," we chorused, giggling.

"Well?" asked Alice, beginning to get annoyed. She didn't like the idea of someone dosing her husband with a love potion.

"Oh, it's just that we caught her trying to dose Harry last year," began Sammie.

"She was desperate for Harry to ask her to the Yule Ball," continued Harley.

"We, well, we performed a switching spell on the goblet she'd tainted," explained Nicole.

"Yeah, we switched the contents with those of her own goblet," I finished, the four of us bursting into giggles.

"Care to expound?" asked Rose, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"The potion was keyed to Romilda, so when she imbibed it she became obsessed with herself. Well, more than she was already," Sammie said.

"Yeah," Nicole continued. "She couldn't pass by a shiny surface without stopping to admire herself. You'd pass by a window and she'd be leaning against it, stroking her reflection with longing."

"Ginny was livid with us," I choked out, trying to contain my mirth. "She has to share a dorm with the girl and apparently she took…erm…_self-love_ to a whole new level!"

"Yeah, rubbish at silencing charms, that one," Harley said, clutching her side. The four of us were leaning against each other, laughing freely. We'd start to regain control, only to remember her sitting in the common room gazing at a picture of herself or reciting sonnets to herself in the Great Hall. We'd then lose it all over again.

Our laughter ceased immediately when Umbridge approached, glaring at us from across the table. Harley canceled the _Muffliato_ and we cleared our throats.

"Can we help you, Professor," I asked innocently.

"This is no way for a Professor to behave in front of the children," she admonished harshly.

The four of us cocked our heads to the side in tandem and I could hear my family snickering lowly. "The vast majority of students in this school know us from last year, Professor," said Nicole. "I don't think they'll be too terribly shocked to see us enjoying a laugh."

"We placed a silencing charm around us beforehand," Harley defended. "They don't know what we were talking about. They just saw us laughing."

"It's a sight they'll see again, ma'am. I'm sure all four of us will attempt to infuse our classes with humor. It keeps the children's attention focused if they think you might say something amusing," Sammie added.

"The children are here to learn, Professors, not socialize. I'm not sure how they do things in _America_, but we have standards here," Umbridge said in an overly sweet voice.

We all narrowed our eyes at her. My girls and I had always been a united front without even trying. "Oh?" I asked. "And by what _standard_ did Mr. Malfoy call me a Mudblood last year?"

The annoying smile vanished from her toad like features. "You will not disrespect me, Professor Black. I am the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and I demand to be treated with respect. Perhaps if you'd been raised in a proper Pureblood family you'd understand that without having to be told."

"I meant no disrespect, Madam," I said, arranging my features into a look of absolute innocence. "I was simply asking for clarification. You said you demand a certain standard in the UK. I understand that the Malfoy family is quite close with the Minsiter. I just want to understand the _standards_ expected of me." I used the breathy, simpering voice she'd employed the night before, smiling as sweetly as I could manage.

Yeah, she was not impressed. "You will do well not to cross me, Black," she warned threateningly, dropping her facade.

"Or what? You'll sic some dementors on me?" I asked cheekily. I was really just messing with her. I didn't expect the wave of abject panic that rushed through her at the words. I quickly opened my Legilimency shield to the woman. _She couldn't possibly know I sent them. No one does,_ I heard before she swallowed her panic and reinforced her shields.

It took every ounce of willpower of which I'm capable to remain still. I wanted to yell. I wanted to rage. I wanted to rip her _fucking_ head off.

It had been her. The whole time we truly believed the perpetrator to be Voldemort. It wasn't. It was the Ministry toad all along. She'd sent the demons of hell after a 15 year old boy. To destroy his _soul_. It made me sick.

The others picked up on the mounting tension and I could feel Edward's body vibrating next to me. He'd heard the rogue thought as well. "We should be getting to our classrooms. The students will be arriving soon. Edward, Bella," Esme said, placing a comforting hand on each of our shoulders.

I was too afraid to speak. There was no telling what I'd say, but I had no doubt it'd be enough to get myself sacked before I even had my first class. I couldn't allow that to happen now. Our presence here was now more important than ever. We needed to protect Harry from more than just Voldemort.

So, without so much as a second glance toward the vile woman before me, I rose and followed the others out of the Hall. Well, everyone but Jasper and Em. They'd stayed behind to watch over the students. My mood was slightly lifted by the tone of the room as I left it. They were disappointed. They'd wanted a show and we hadn't delivered.

I didn't walk toward the Arithmancy room, however. I went straight to the Headmasters office. "_Lemon Heads_," I said. I'd introduced Dumbledore to the muggle sweet over the summer. He loved Lemon Drops and Sherbet Lemon, so I figured he'd be down for some Lemon Heads. I was right, of course.

The gargoyle leapt to the side to allow me passage. The others followed me up the stairs, including Harry, Ron and Hermione.

There was a soft _Enter _heard from the office after my rather loud knocking. More like banging, really. Our group entered the office hastily. When Dumbledore saw the size of the group his eyes widened comically. "What can I do for you all this morning?"

"It was Umbridge," I blurted angrily.

"Sorry? What was Professor Umbridge?"

"The person who sent the dementors after Harry! It wasn't Voldemort. It was _Umbridge_. That no good Ministry toad!"

There were multiple gasps heard behind me, and Dumbledore's eyes narrowed dangerously, his signature twinkle glaringly absent. "How do you know this?"

I started pacing furiously. "She was reprimanding me for joking with my friends this morning. I responded with a bit of cheek. She told me not to cross her, or else. I asked, 'Or else what? You'll sic some dementors on me?' I really just meant to sass her about the Ministry's embarrassing charade of a trial, but I felt her panic. Intensely. I opened my shields in the next second, hoping she'd let something slip through her walls. She did. _She couldn't possibly know I sent them, No one does, _she thought. It was her, not Voldemort!"

"I heard it too, sir," said Edward.

The room was deathly silent for a few long moments. I approached Harry and pulled him to me. "She's dangerous, Headmaster. She sent dementors after an innocent boy for no reason. She can't be allowed near the students, especially Harry!" I was practically beside myself with anger and worry.

"I'm afraid it won't be possible to remove her, Professor Black. She's been appointed by the Minister himself. He seems to think I'm trying to develop an army to overthrow him, using the false resurrection of Voldemort as a distraction. He's quite convinced, I'm afraid. He's sent his Undersecretary to keep an eye on me and the curriculum of Hogwarts. I fear the interference, and in turn Professor Umbridge's power, will only be increased as the year progresses."

"But…You're the Chief Warlock, for Merlin's sake! You can't bring charges upon her? Make her testify under Veritaserum?" I fairly shouted.

"Miss Black. What shall I provide as proof that Delores sent the Dementors? Shall I tell Fudge that I have two telepathic vampires in my employ and they overheard the confession slip through Umbridge's mental shields? I don't have to tell you how poorly our Minister and the greater wizarding community would respond to that news," Dumbledore reasoned.

"I don't care if he finds out I'm a vampire! I just want Harry to be safe!"

"Miss Black, no one will accept the word of a vampire. You will no longer be viewed as a Pureblood in society; you'll be viewed as a half-breed. Telling Fudge about your vampiric abilities would be counter-productive to the extreme, and trying to convince Fudge of _anything_ after he finds out _that_ piece of information would be impossible," Dumbledore countered.

"So what do we do then?" I asked, defeated.

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Well, Miss Black, there _are_ eight vampires in this school. I think it would be wise to perhaps have either Emmett or Jasper in the classroom under Harry's invisibility cloak during his DADA lessons. Also, I believe, Mr. Potter, you should refrain from wandering about the castle this year. Safety in numbers, you know?"

"That's your solution?" I asked, angry. "Keep to groups? You honestly think a woman who is capable of sending dementors to destroy the soul of a fifteen year old boy will be deterred by Hermione and Ron? No offense to the pair of them, but honestly, Headmaster!"

"We will all be keeping an eye on her, Miss Black, I assure you. The main reason for having Emmett and Jasper in their security roles is to watch over Mr. Potter. Perhaps if you were to keep that map of theirs on your person you'd feel better about things. You'll always be able to find him."

Well, that seems like an acceptable compromise. Mrs. Weasley explained the magic in that clock of hers. Perhaps I could duplicate it to show Harry's status. That plus the map would help keep him properly monitored. I looked to Harry. He was already pulling the map from his bag. "I wonder if those old Marauders can make another map. That way we can both have one," I said, smiling. "I hate that you have to give it up, Harry."

"It's alright, Bella. If the situation were reversed, I'd want to be able to keep track of you, too."

"If you never get caught out of bounds just say I gave you permission. I'll back you up," I smiled cheekily, watching the Headmaster in my peripheral. He'd taken to examining his nails with a smirk.

"Wonderful. Now, you lot have classes. Off you go," Dumbledore said jovially.

Classes were fun. The students were all very enthusiastic about the year's syllabus, especially the older students who were looking forward to spell creation. Edward and I decided to keep our Legilimency shields open to the students while in the classroom. It really helped us to understand what they were thinking, and where they needed help. We got some rather disconcerting images as well, teenage hormones being what they are. We tried to ignore those and concentrate on the subject material.

Jasper and Harry were waiting outside the classroom when our last class was finished. They entered after the last student left and immediately explained the disaster that was his first DADA class. Apparently the vile, evil, Ministry approved attempted murderer believes there's no reason to teach practical defense. Harry had thrown their new book down in anger as he started his rant. I flipped through it as I listened to his complaints, and felt my own ire begin to peak. What the hell was the point of sitting in her classroom for four hours a week? The book was for amateurs, and Harry was in his OWL year!

I dropped the book and gave Harry my full attention when he got to the part where the would-be murderer asked, _'Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?'_ Harry had sarcastically replied, '_Hmmm…let's think. Maybe….Lord Voldemort?' _I smiled at his cheek, in spite of myself.

"Yeah, the woman was obviously goading him into a response," explained Jasper. "When she received the outburst she was hoping for her lips curved into a truly malicious smile before she told the class Voldemort was dead and Harry and Dumbledore were liars. She gave him detention, which is what she wanted from the beginning, I think. She felt awfully satisfied."

"Yeah, and when I asked where we went when we left the maze, who Cruciated you, and how we returned with Peter Pettigrew, she claimed that it was all Peter and that we were making up the rest for attention. What a load of tosh!" Harry exclaimed heatedly.

The Headmaster had told the press that I was writhing in pain because of the after effects of the Cruciatus. It seemed to be believable enough, as no one questioned it. I just hope Voldemort will believe that Dumbledore had been able to cleanse my blood before it was too late. I've already proven I could do magic, which should lead him to believe that the change didn't follow through to completion. One can only hope.

"Harry," I stated cautiously. "You need to control your temper around that vile woman. She tried to kill you. Now you have to be alone with her in your detention. Well, you would be if it weren't for your security detail. Point is, you need to stay under her radar."

"So I'm just supposed to be okay with the fact that I won't learn anything in Defense this year? When Voldemort is back?" he asked incredulously.

"Honestly, Harry, did you not learn a thing last year? You just leave it to your friendly neighborhood Skirts. We'll teach you, Ron and Hermione. We can do it in the Room of Requirement. We're all proficient enough to do the job properly."

Harry smiled widely before giving me a hug. "Thanks, Bella. You're the best sister a guy could ever ask for."

"Aw, shucks. You're not so bad yourself there, brother dear," I responded cheekily.

We were all chuckling when Emmett burst through the door. "Hey Bella, what's a blood quill?"

My eyes widened. "Where on earth did you hear that term, Em?"

"Jasper asked me to keep watch on Umbridge. After the class was dismissed she started muttering about blood quills. Said they'd teach Harry a lesson."

"No!" I gasped. "She can't be considering using those on a student! It's barbaric!" As soon as the words crossed my lips I realized how utterly absurd I was. Of course she would. She sent Dementors after him, why would she shy away from blood quills. "Nevermind, that was stupid…" I muttered.

"What is a blood quill?" asked Harry nervously.

"They're…well, they don't use ink. Instead they use the author's own blood. The words etch themselves into your hand and the blood drawn is used for ink."

Harry paled and I felt outrage from the three other vampires in the room. "Hell no, Bella! I'll rip that bitch to shreds first!" bellowed Emmett. Jasper and Edward growled their agreement, but I started thinking. I could probably turn this around. If not, well, I'd just steal the damn things.

"I've got an idea. I'm going to copy myself and send it to dinner with Edward. I'll be able to control the copy much easier with my vampire mind. I'll take care of the quills," I said.

The others agreed, eying me curiously. I then cast the spell over myself before disillusioning my person and slinking off to the DADA office. The office was empty, so I quickly disabled her wards and let myself in. It was pink. Very pink. There were also kitten portraits everywhere. This woman clearly has issues.

I placed my wand in my hand and said, "Point me." I don't typically need my wand, but for this spell it's a must. It pointed me in the direction of the quills and I quickly found them in the top drawer of her desk. After examining the shaft I easily deciphered the Runes and base Arithmancy powering the quills. After some quick calculations I figured out how to redirect the magic. Instead of using the blood of the author, it would seek the blood of its owner. _Perfect_.

After reconfiguring the Runes and spells on the quills, I re-warded the office and left on my merry way. I had my copy tell Edward she was ready to go back to the office, letting him know I was finished with my task.

Emmett was monitoring Harry during his detention, so after Edward returned to our quarters and I vanished my copy, we had nothing to do but wait for Harry and Emmett to return. I hadn't told anyone what I'd done, instead letting the suspense build. I simply assured Harry that he wouldn't be spilling any blood.

By the time the pair returned, we had been joined by the rest of the Cullens as well as Ron, Hermione and the other Skirts. Both Emmett and Harry were smiling widely when they entered our living room. "Bells, if I wasn't madly in love with my Rosie, I'd totally steal you away from Edward. That was awesome! You should have seen the look on her face!"

Harry was laughing as well. "It was bloody brilliant is what it was! She had this smug look on her face when I asked for an inkpot. When I started to write _I must not tell lies,_ she gasped and stared at her hand. Then she started sputtering and accusing me of tampering with her belongings. I lied and said that I'd never even heard of a quill that draws your blood for ink, before telling her in complete honesty that I wouldn't have the first clue how to go about altering them, even if I did. She seemed to agree that I wasn't competent enough to reconfigure her precious quills."

I smiled grimly. I couldn't quite find it in me to be too chipper about the whole situation. Yes, this instance of abuse was avoided, but what about the future. "Please promise me you'll just ignore her going forward, Harry. Let her say whatever she wants. She'll be the one looking like a fool in the end. In the meantime just know that we all believe you, love you, and have your back."

The others nodded their agreement and Harry sighed. "I'll try, Bella. I promise. She just makes me so mad sometimes."

"Harry, Harry, Harry," I tsked. "You're a second generation Marauder. We don't get mad brother-of-mine. We get even."

Harry smirked back. "Of course, so silly of me. I don't know what I was thinking," he said in an eerily spot on impression of his would-be murderer.

Our group chattered for a little while longer about our first day of classes. Harley and Nic had some really funny stories about the purebloods in their class. Poor dears had a rather difficult time with the physical exertion.

Time started passing more normally after that first day. Harry was keeping his temper in check in DADA, and both Ron and Harry were spending a lot of time practicing for the upcoming Quidditch season. Ron had made the keeper position. Em had spent a lot of time with him over the summer throwing practice shots for him to defend. Holding his own against a vampire (even one that was lowering his performace to human level) did a world of good for Ron's self-confidence.

We executed our first successful prank on Umbridge during the fourth week of school. Harry had his little elf friend, Dobby, slip some dreamless sleep potion into the woman's nightly tea service. We found her passed out on the floor of her office, snoring like a bloody chainsaw.

We had watched a ton of muggle movies over the summer in Grimmauld's new electronics room. Everyone brought out their old favorites, one of Harley's being The Parent Trap (The Saved by the Bell Miss Bliss version, _not_ the LiLo version). It was from this movie that Harry drew his inspiration. Since no one wanted to see Delores Umbridge with a piece of her skirts removed, we decided to go with the bed on the lake prank those mischievous tykes pulled on that gold digger, Vicky Robinson.

So, with the old hag knocked out for the night, I levitated her disillusioned body out to the Black Lake. Harry and Em were keeping a close eye on the Marauder's Map under the cloak while a disillusioned Edward walked next to me, holding my hand like the dutiful fiancé he is.

When we reached the lake, I transfigured a rock into a giant lily pad. I had kept this little aspect to myself, wanting to surprise Harry with my genius. The three boys appreciated it, indeed. After gently setting the toad lady's body on her new lily pad Harry pushed her out into the lake, adding a little bit of a wind charm to give her an extra push. She would wake up in the middle of the lake, no doubt. Maybe the giant squid would snack on her.

To say she was enraged the next day would be a massive understatement. It probably didn't help that we took pictures and posted them all over the halls. She accused the Weasley twins of the offense, but Harry had told them to be a visual presence in the common room that night, along with the copy I made of Harry. The toad didn't have a webbed foot to stand on.

A few days after the incident Ron received a letter from his brother, Percy the Prat. He congratulated Ron on making prefect before warning him away from Harry. He went on to elude that Dumbledore might not be the Headmaster at Hogwarts much longer, stating that Ron should be on the lookout for the Daily Prophet the following morning. That was a very scary thought. Dumbledore's presence at the school was undoubtedly what kept Voldemort from trying to take it outright. After libeling both Harry and Dumbledore's character, the little prick went on to give the abhorrently beastly, disgustingly loathesome, offensively repugnant excuse for a human being (also known as Delores Umbridge) his most sincere endorsement. What. A. Dick.

Turns out the Minister passed some shoddy legislation creating a position of Hogwart's High Inquisitor. This allowed him to place someone at the school that would have the authority to inspect the professors and their curriculum. It also allowed her to pass decrees within the school. The Minister, in his infinite ineptitude, appointed the wannabe murderess, Umbridge.

"Wonderful. I wonder how long we'll have as teachers," I remarked, setting the paper down.

"Well, she has to give reasons as to why we are incompetent. She can't just throw us out for no reason," Harley said. Oh sweet, naïve Harley.

Nicole patted her on her head. "Keep telling yourself that, sweet pea."

Dumbledore called each of the professors into his office during their free period that day, trying to reiterate Harley's stance. She had to provide reasons to the dismissal, and he would have ultimate say. She'd tried to immediately rid the castle of Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper, stating that a magical school had no place for a muggle, nor did the school need security wizards. Dumbledore had already been able to shoot her down. Her authority didn't extend to staff, apparently. Besides, as the spouses of professors, they'd be allowed to live in the castle, anyway.

Umbridge inspected each of our classes throughout the next few weeks. Too bad she didn't realize she was dealing with vampires who could control emotions. I sent her feelings of calm, satisfaction and agreeableness throughout her session with us. Didn't hear one, 'Hem, hem,' the entire period. Jasper did the same with the others' classes, hiding under the invisibility cloak. What do you know, top marks for all!

There was one casualty. Umbridge sacked Trelawney, and attempted to throw her out of the castle in a rather public and humiliating fashion. Dumbledore swooped to the rescue, informing Umbridge in front of the entire school that while the High Inquisitor may be able to fire his professors, she had no authority to decide who is allowed to live in the castle. Umbridge had to eat some crow, but it wasn't enough. Another prank was in order.

From the day Umbridge was named High Inquisitor, she started passing Educational Decrees. Filch would merrily nail them into the stone wall just outside the Great Hall. Basically, the rules stated that you couldn't be a teenager. No fun. No flirting. _Certainly_ no kissing. My girls and I put our heads together to analyze the permanent sticking charm used to place Walburga's portrait at Number 12. We reversed the process, trying to figure out how to ensure that _nothing_ could stick to a surface. We succeeded, of course.

So, Edward and I made our way to the Great Hall one night while on patrol. I first cast a silencing charm then the _Bizarro Sticking Charm,_ as we'd coined it. Seinfeld fans, the lot of us. All the decrees promptly crashed silently into the stone floor. It was quite a sight the next morning. Filch would nail another into the wall and it would immediately crash to the floor. The frustration on the faces of both Filch and Umbridge was total win.

After that little project was complete, The Skirts and I were approached by The Golden Trio. They wanted to invite their classmates to our lessons. We told them we'd think about it. They gathered students on the next Hogsmeade weekend to see if people would be interested. Turns out, they were. Funny thing though, the very next day a new decree was passed stating all student organizations were disbanded and had to get permission from the High Inquisitor before reforming.

The three came to see us the next day, worried about their new Defense Association. "I'm sorry, you guys. We're not going to be able to be a part of it. We will continue to tutor you three, but we can't risk word getting out by bringing in others. We're professors; we can't have others see us openly oppose Umbridge. It would be a sorry way to thank Dumbledore for giving us jobs in the castle," I said regretfully.

"You could do it though, Harry. You could be the instructor. Secretly, of course," suggested Sammie.

"What? No way!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yes, Harry. We'll continue tutoring you lot, and you can in turn train the other students. You're a natural born leader, Harry," encouraged Nicole.

"Not to mention a very talented wizard," Hermione said. "Harry, you've defeated You-Know-Who – "

"Voldemort!" chorused The Skirts and Harry.

Both Hermione and Ron cringed. "Alright, _alright_. You've defeated V-Vol-Voldemort more than any living person, Harry. You can cast a fully corporeal Patronus. You are better than anyone in our year in defense, and our lessons with The Skirts have vastly improved your dueling skills," Hermione reasoned.

"When you say it like that, yeah, it sounds great. But I nearly always had help. And I mostly just fumbled my way through all those situations, getting lucky."

"No Harry, you were thinking quickly. You were assessing situations and responding according to your survival instinct. That is what these kids need to learn. Dueling with Death Eaters isn't going to be a friendly little duel where you walk ten paces and bow. You've got to be able to move your body quickly, think of alternatives, and use the best spells to _survive_. _Expelliarmus, Stupefy, Flipendo, Immobulus, Locomotor Mortis, Protego, Finite Incantatum, _and_ Incarcerous_. The students need to know these basic spells backward and forward, be able to cast them without thinking. It's about aim, repetition and practice. We've been teaching you some more advanced tactics, but with the others, you just need to teach them to make it out alive," I explained.

"Exactly," Harley said. "You don't have to teach them defensive transfiguration or fancy offensive spells. Less adept people will just get themselves killed trying to think of what spell to use, wand movements, and incantations. If you just give them that basic arsenal, it won't really matter whether they use _Stupefy_ or _Locomotor Mortis_. It's getting the upper hand. Oh, and summoning. Once you've got the opponent down, summon their wand and snap it. Don't hesitate. Don't leave them with a weapon. It's things like that, Harry."

"Yes, and perhaps the Patronus charm. That will get people in the door, get them interested, and protect them in case Umbridge gets Dementor happy in the future. Then you mix in the more mundane. That's where their lives will be saved," Nicole mused.

Harry was nodding his head, seemingly interested in the prospect. "You really think I can do it?" he asked, still a bit unsure.

"Of course." Me.

"Absolutely." Sammie.

"Indubitably." Harley.

"Don't ask stupid questions." Nicole. Love her.

Harry smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, alright. I guess I'll do it."

"I have some ideas about how to maintain the secrecy of the group. I'll also research a way to communicate meeting times covertly," Hermione said excitedly.

"Smashing, my dear. You are simply brilliance personified," I said, causing Hermione to blush furiously. Love that girl.

The group got the Defense group started up quickly. They met in the RoR, thoroughly impressing the new attendees who were previously unaware of the room. Hermione produced a charmed parchment on which to form their charter. Everyone who signed it bound themselves to secrecy. If they squealed on the group they'd get a nasty surprise. The first order of business had been to name the club. Ginny came up with Dumbledore's Army, which was heartily agreed upon and added to the top of the charter.

Harry started out with the Disarming Spell, _Expelliarmus_. It had saved his life many times, and each student should be able to proficiently cast it. Apparently the monumental git known as Zacharias Smith thought this was a silly spell to learn, but Harry had quickly put him in his place. After his pwning of Smith, the DA became a huge success.

The first Quidditch match, however, was nearly a disaster. Well, the after show nearly was. It was Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Harry caught the snitch and won the game, but it didn't really matter. Gryffindor was pummeling Slytherin. The chasers were on fire, Fred and George were master beaters, and Ron was confidently blocking nearly every shot Slytherin threw at him. Em was like a proud papa. All the work he'd put in with the boy over the summer had paid dividends in his performance.

Afterward Malfoy did his best to taunt the Weasley boys and Harry into a fight, throwing insults about their mothers. Honestly, don't purebloods pride themselves on their class? How is it classy to insult a dead woman?

We saw Umbridge standing off to the side, filled with anticipation. She wanted a reaction. Lord only knows what her punishment would be. Certainly not blood quills, since they never worked for her anymore. She was disappointed. I sent waves of amusement and mirth into the four boys, and they ended up laughing in Malfoy's face while Esme deducted 100 points and gave him detention for a month. Heh. Take that ferret face.

Time moved steadily as we approached the Christmas holidays. Umbridge was still performing her ridiculous teacher evaluations and had been extremely vicious during Hagrid's. Hermione was most upset, cursing the woman's name at every opportunity. I was worried for the gentle giant as well. Umbridge was extremely prejudiced towards beings who were not 100% human. Filthy half-breeds, she called us. Well, we filthy half-breeds have to look out for each other, so he'd have eight vampires watching his back.

It was just before the hols that tragedy struck. Harry woke from a dream, terrified, claiming that a snake attacked Arthur Weasley and he was dying. Harry had been told of the prophecy, as Daddy allowed him to sit in on the Order meetings. He'd immediately come to me, asking if Arthur was on duty that night. He was.

I told Harry to inform Dumbledore. I then flooed directly from Edward's and my office to the Ministry of Magic, Edward arriving on my heels. We quickly made our way passed the security kiosk. I had no time for the guard, so I obliviated our presence from his memory as we ran passed. There are no stairs in the Ministry, so we were forced to take the lift. Luckily it's quick.

We followed the scent of blood to Arthur, making it to him within minutes of Harry's notification. I put a stock of bezoars in the Black vault after learning about them in my first year. I have constant access to the contents because of the pouch, so there'd always be one available to me if need be. You never know when you'll be poisoned (purposefully or accidentally) in the wizarding world, unfortunately. I quickly retrieved one, shoving it down Arthur's throat while using some healing charms on some of the worst wounds.

Once he was stable, Edward and I placed him securely on a conjured stretcher before portkeying to St. Mungo's. The healers reacted immediately upon our arrival. I told the nurses everything I'd done for him while watching the higher ranking healers whisk him away. I sent a Patronus to Dumbledore, Molly and Harry, letting him know we'd arrived at the hospital. They all arrived quickly afterward, Molly chasing down a healer for information on her husband.

The twins, Ron, Ginny and Hermione also arrived with the others. They crowded around me and Edward as we recounted what happened after we left Harry. I was pretty sure Arthur would be fine. Because we arrived so soon after the attack, the bezoar should have been able to neutralize most of the snake's venom and the remaining wounds were relatively superficial.

My prognosis was quickly confirmed by the healer. The bezoar had taken care of most of the poison, potions easily handling the remnants and the remaining wounds were relatively easy for the healers to deal with. Just some broken ribs and a few bruises. The man would need to rest for a few days, but he would be completely fine, if a bit sore. The healers were very impressed with my work and told me to give them a call if I decided I wanted a career in healing.

The Weasleys tried to thank me for saving Arthur's life, but I couldn't take credit. It was really Harry. He's the one who alerted us to the situation. If Arthur hadn't been tended to before the next shift change, the man would have died.

Harry seemed reluctant to accept any praise. He almost looked like he felt _guilty_. "Harry, what's wrong?" I asked.

He sighed, looking ashamed. "Bella," he whispered. "It's like I was the snake. I wasn't watching from the sidelines. I could feel the smooth body of the snake like it was my own. Felt it scent the air with its tongue. I could taste Arthur's presence in the air, and wanted to strike him, but I was on a mission. But then he woke up and I attacked. This is all my fault."

My first thought was, 'Oh, how utterly absurd.' But then I got to thinking about what Harry was saying. No, not that it was his fault, but that he _was_ the snake. He's a Parselmouth. He has a connection to Voldemort, visions of what Voldemort sees and experiences. His scar responds to Voldemort's presence and emotions. We suspect he was going to use Harry's death for the creation of his final Horcrux. He'd have already performed the necessary rituals before and during the casting of that fateful curse, preparing to rip his soul apart one more time.

It didn't take my vampire mind long to follow this equation to its final conclusion.

_Sweet Nimue, no_.

Harry's a Horcrux.

A/N:

Hello friends! Let me start out by thanking my reviewers. You guys are total win and I love you all!

Rose of Dark Life, Kaya, TwilightMelodiac, Cat, iwantacullentoo, BellaPevensie96, mimic121, Darlene10104, DreamerHorse, lunarwing, , vivx-chan, Angel JJK, AFlawInCourage, jafr86, VeronicaD13

You guys make me smile so much, I can't thank you enough!

As for this chapter, I had quite a bit of fun writing it. I got to be a bit mischievous with our dear Umbridge, and I seriously entertained myself with that bit about Romilda Vane. Heh.

I hope you all enjoyed it. Coming up next we'll be introducing the world to Mrs. Edward Cullen. I will take suggestions from you all as to whether you want actual lemons in this story. I've never actually written any smut, but I could give it a go. I'd have to up the rating, though, so I shall leave it up to my lovely readers. What do you think?

I could also put the lemons in as outtakes in a "new story" so I wouldn't have to up the rating of this one if people want some Edward/Bella smut action. Just let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading. I welcome all reviews, but if they're mean I'll cry real tears. :)


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